Manila Standard - 2016 August 9 - Tuesday

DIAZ ENDS 20-YEAR OLYMPIC DROUGHT FOR PH RIO DE JANEIRO—Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, 25, won the Olympic silver medal in the women’s 53-kg division Monday, Manila time, ending a 20-year medal drought for the Philippines, and becoming the first Filipina to win

a medal in the Summer Games.

“I would have been grateful with a bronze medal because that’s what we were targeting. I would have been happy with a bronze medal.

But God gave me the silver medal,” said Diaz, an airwoman 2nd class

with the Philippine Air Force.

The Philippines has won nine medals in the Olympics, all courtesy of male athletes, since it first participated in 1924. This is the third silver for the country after boxers Anthony Villanueva in the 1964

Tokyo Games and Onyok Velasco in the 1996 Atlanta Games.

The Philippines has yet to win an Olympic gold.

Diaz said she’s not sure if she would continue competing all the way to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose Cojuangco Jr. said he hoped Diaz’s triumph would be the start of a new chapter in Philippine sports.

Cojuangco credited President Rodrigo Duterte, who held a send-

off for the athletes in Malacañang.

“He was the inspiration. In the many years that I was POC president, it’s the first time we held a send-off for the athletes in Malacañang,” said Cojuangco.

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SHE SHINES LIKE GOLD. Twenty-

five-year-old weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz becomes the first Filipina to win an Olympic medal, taking the silver in the women’s weightlifting 53-kg division on Aug. 7, 2016 during the Rio Olympics. AFP

‘Du30 exposé premature’ Solons opt Chief Justice chides Rody over hit list Team FVR sets out to renew China ties to take test By Rey E. Requejo, John Paolo Bencito and Lance Baconguis HIEF Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno on Monday amid war admonished President Rodrigo Duterte for naming seven judges who have been accused of coddling drug lords, on drugs describing his exposé as “premature” and saying it could put

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By Maricel V. Cruz LAWMAKERS on Monday backed proposals that they undergo mandatory testing in the wake of President Rodrigo Duterte’s intensified campaign against illegal drugs.

At a news conference, Deputy Speakers and Reps. Eric Singson of Ilocos Sur, Mercedes Alvarez of Negros Occidental, Fred Castro of Capiz and Miro Quimbo of Marikina City said they all favor the drug tests.

They said they would also take the issue up with Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, who had earlier expressed his full backing for any move to have members of the House undergo drug testing.

“I am open to be drug tested. It used to be a qualification in filing a certificate of candidacy,”Alvarez said. “We will discuss it with the House leadership, if members of Congress are open to it,” she Next page

‘Miss U no traffic stopper’ THE Philippines’ hosting of the Miss Universe beauty pageant in January will not add to Metro Manila’s traffic woes because most of the activities will be held elsewhere, Tourism Secretary Corazon Teo said Monday.

She made the assurance as a result of fears the event will further worsen the horrendous traffic in the araea―as the AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation meetings did last year.

“The traffic mess is obviously the one single problem that besets our daily economic activities in Metro Manila, so we will find ways not to aggravate it,” Teo said.

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their lives at risk.

In a four-page letter to Duterte, Sereno also said she would caution the judges implicated by the President not to surrender to the police in the absence of an arrest warrant.

“Mr. President, a premature announcement of an informal investigation on allegations of involvement with the drug trade will have the unwarranted effect of rendering the judge veritably useless in discharging his adjudicative role,” Sereno said.

“With all due respect, Mr. President, we

were caught unprepared by the announcement. It would matter greatly to our sense of constitutional order, if we were given the chance to administer the appropriate preventive measures without the complications of a premature public announcement,” she added.

While the Supreme Court, which supervises all trial courts nationwide, supports Duterte’s campaign against illegal drugs,

Next page SERENO

Ilocanos rejoice, prepare for FM burial

By Leilani G. Adriano SARRAT, Ilocos Norte—A mixture of sadness and excitement are drawn on the faces of some Ilocanos here as preparations are underway for the Sept.

18 burial of the late strongman Ferdinand E. Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

Kept for the last 23 years in a glass coffin in a dimly-lit room in the Marcos mausoleum, his body

will be transferred to a personalized casket the Marcos family prepared for him in anticipation for his burial complete with military honors at the Libingan.

As is customary for Ilocano burial rites, Marcos’ body will be brought to his birthplace in Sarrat, and taken to the Sta. Monica Church, which the former first lady and now Rep. Imelda Marcos helped restore after it was destroyed by a strong earthquake.

Cusi warns of power lack THE Luzon grid will continue to be on yellow alert for the rest of the week due to insufficient power supply, the Energy department warned Monday.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said that projection came about during a meeting attended by the officials of his department, the National Grid of the Philippines and Manila Electric Co. That projection also came about following the two- to threehour rolling blackouts on Friday.

“The projections show that there will be yellow alerts for the rest of the week due to insufficient power supply brought about by scheduled and forced outages of power plants,” Cusi said.

He made the statement even as Meralco said residential consumers will experience lower rates of twitter.com/ MlaStandard

electricity, or by P0.11 per kilowatt-hour this month, due to its lower generation charges.

The company said the residential rate is now at P8.50 per kilowatt hour, which will translate into a 22-peso reduction in the electricity bill of a household with monthly consumption of 200 kilowatt hours.

“The reduction is due to the downward movement in the generation charge, which more than offset a higher transmission charge,” Meralco said.

Sources said the Luzon grid may even experience a red alert status on Wednesday due to high demand.

Cusi said stakeholders had agreed on mitigating measures while waiting for the affected power plants to be synchronized to the grid.

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Later on, it became the setting of the grand wedding of Marcos’ daughter Irene and Gregorio Araneta.

Carlito Ranjo Jr., parish priest, said they expect the body to arrive at 7:30 a.m. on Sept. 15. Then he will officiate a mass at 9:00 a.m. on the same day.

Ranjo said an overnight prayer vigil will be conducted every hour.

Thousands of guests and visitors from all over the country are expected Next page to join the vigil.

FORMER President Fidel Ramos flew to China on Monday, but before doing so expressed confidence that the Chinese government will mend its ties with the Philippines amid their ongoing dispute in the West Philippine Sea. Those who accompanied Ramos on his official trip were his wife and former first lady Amelita Ramos, former Interior secretary Rafael Alunan and former ABC network manager in Beijing Chito Santa Romana.

They left Manila on board Philippine Airlines flight PR306 bound for Hong Kong around 2:35 pm.

“The objective is, there is no objective. This is just to renew or rekindle old ties,” Ramos told reporters before he boarded his flight.

“Let’s meet, let’s talk and find out where we stand.

But as I told you, our Philippine stand is to make sure there is peace, there is goodwill and there is harmony in our Asia-Pacific neighborhood.

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Misery index gives Thais reason to smile

THE Land of Smiles really is the happiest place in the world, at least in terms of holding a job and keeping the rising cost of goods in check.

The Misery Index, computed by adding inflation to the unemployment rate, gives Thailand a score of 1.11 percent, which is the best―or least miserable―of all the 74 economies surveyed by Bloomberg.

Singapore and Japan are close runner ups, with 1.40 percent and 2.70 percent, respectively. The UK ranks Next page

CITY LIFE.

Students, workers and other city dwellers cross an improvised bridge with the help of a man who charges a small amount of money along Taft Avenue corner Quirino Avenue in Malate, Manila.

Parts of Metro Manila usually experience flashfloods after a downpour since road drainage and waterways are clogged with garbage. PNA

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

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Ilocanos...

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“We are expecting a huge number of visitors so as early as now, we are quite worried how to handle all preparations,” said Ranjo.

After an overnight vigil in Sarrat, his remains will be brought to the UNESCO-world heritage site of St. Augustine Church for another Mass and prayer vigil on Sept. 16. A Mass will be officiated by Manuel Lamprea, resident priest of Paoay Church.

Earlier, Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos met with Bishop Renato Mayugba to discuss church preparations and the burial ceremony in Ilocos Norte before the body of Marcos will be brought to the Libingan ng mga Bayani via the Laoag International Airport.

But some residents here are not happy about the latest developments.

For the longest time since Marcos was kept lying at the Batac mausoleum, friends and loyalists from the different parts of the country occupied the busy streets of Batac, Laoag and Sarrat to celebrate with Ilocanos the Sept. 11 birthday anniversary of Marcos (this year is the 99th).

This year, Ianree Raquel, head of the Ilocos Norte Tourism Office, said they have coordinated with different sectors what to do with the traditional Marcos fiesta, which features a “sing and look-alike contest” for contestants who can sing the favorite love songs favored by Marcos and Imelda.

Earlier this month, members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan has unanimously approved on Aug. 1 a resolution requesting President Rodrigo Duterte to declare Sept. 11, 2016 as a special non-working holiday in the entire province of Ilocos Norte.

While some Ilocanos appreciate Duterte’s gesture to allow Marcos’ burial in Libingan, older Ilocanos and the tourist industry are saddened.

“It’s a big deal that we have an increase in foot traffic because of him.

We cannot deny that he is helping in the livelihood of our tour guides, craftsmen and all other tourism stakeholders,” he added.

“We can feel the sadness and hesitation from our elders but at the same time, they are happy that the present administration is keen on giving him the burial honors that the family has longed for,” Raquel said.

The Defense Department has ordered the Armed Forces to prepare for the Marcos burial amid strong opposition from martial law victims.

With John Paolo Bencito, Maricel V. Cruz, Rio N. Araja, Macon Ramos-Araneta, PNA

Cusi...

From A1 Cusi has ordered National Grid to increase its importation of electricity from the Visayas without affecting its energy requirements.

He also asked Meralco to explore the possibility of entering into contracts with diesel-powered plants to augment supply.

“In the long term, the [Energy Department] will require a more efficient synchronization of the system and a more accurate data to determine the needed supply,” Cusi said.

His department estimates that the two- to three-hour blackouts on Friday had resulted in almost P10 billion in losses to the economy.

Energy department spokesman Pete Ilagan cited the report of the Philippine Statistics Office saying the government loses P3 billion to P3.3 billion for each hour-long blackout.

He said the P10-billion figure was a “fair estimate” of Friday’s blackouts as 14 power plants were off-line, resulting in a loss of 3,000 megawatts from the Luzon grid.

Alena Mae S. Flores

‘Miss U...

From A1

She said most of the activities will be held in Palawan, Cebu, Batangas and Isabela. Davao, Vigan and Cagayan de Oro, where reigning Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach hails from, are also possible venues for the pageant’s pre-coronation segments.

She said the Philippine Host Committee could also come up with suggestions in order not to aggravate the traffic gridlock.

A panel from her department has endorsed to President Rodrigo Duterte at least 12 government agencies that will come out with the master plan for holding the beauty contest.

The panel has discussed issues like facilitating the arrival of the Miss Universe participants from over 90 countries, the security at the various pageant venues, and coordinating with its partners in the private sector.

Duterte had cleared the Tourism department to host the beauty pageant here as long as no public funds were used.

Teo had earlier gave her assurance that private sponsors would shoulder the cost of holding the pageant, which will hold its coronation night on Jan. 30 at the Mall of Asia Arena. PNA

Reds defiant, Rody petulant

By John Paolo Bencito

T

HE Communist Party of the Philippines on Monday rejected the latest deadline set

by President Rodrigo Duterte for a New People’s Army ban on landmines, prompting the President to threaten to end peace negotiations with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines.

to be more and more cantankerous, inventing one reason after another to attack the CPP and NPA instead of finding ways to push forward peace negotiations,” the communist rebels said.

In his speech on Monday before troops at Camp Lucban in Catbalogan, Samar, Duterte slammed the communist rebels for apparently twisting the Geneva Convention as he reiterated his “threat” to call off the peace talks should another land mine kill another soldier.

“If I hear of another landmine, another shot, I’ll ask the peace panel to come home. Don’t waste your money there, they talk nonsense,” he added.

Duterte stressed that he wants peace in the land, and to end the longest communist insurgency in the region.

“You have been at war with

the government for 45 years. Do you want to fight with my government,” Duterte asked.

The CPP, however, claimed landmines were legitimate weapons of war and are allowed under the Geneva Conventions and the Ottawa Treaty on Landmines.

“Contrary to Duterte’s demand for the NPA to stop using its CDX landmines, the NPA and the people’s militias must further expand the use of such weapons,” said the CPP. “Perhaps, he has not been closely listening to explanations about landmine conventions and distinctions made about different types of landmines,” the group said.

“Every unit of the NPA, including all units of the people’s militias, must have their own supply of CDX landmines, and must have the skill and plan to

Ignoring the threat, the communist group ordered their armed wing, the New People’s Army, to “expand use of command-detonated explosives (CDX) in launching tactical offensives against the reactionary armed forces,” including the police and the military.

“Setting such an ultimatum, after having yet to fulfill his own promise to release NDFP

consultants and political prisoners, smacks of a poorly-crafted deflectionary tactic, with the aim of blaming the revolutionary forces for the repeated postponement of peace talks ... apparently, Duterte’s mindset is becoming more and more militarized as he hops from one military camp to the next,” the CPP said in a statement Monday. “[Duterte] is showing himself

Du30...

“We abhor [illegal drugs’] ability to even destroy public institutions, thus our proactive investigation of any report that judges and court personnel abet the drug trade. We are currently investigating a report on a judge who may be so involved. He is not on the above list,” she said without offering other details.

Sereno is the highest official to speak against Duterte’s announcement of the names of officials and personalities allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade.

The chief magistrate confirmed that three of the seven judges named by Duterte are no longer with the judiciary.

She said Judge Roberto Navidad of the Calbayog City, Samar regional trial court was killed on Jan. 14, 2008 at age 69, while Judge Lorenda Mupas of Dasmariñas, Cavite municipal trial court was dismissed in 2007 for gross ignorance of the law.

On the other hand, Judge Rene Gonzales of Iloilo City municipal trial court in cities (MTCC) already retired last June and did not handle drug cases in his sala.

Three other judges on the list - Exequil Dagala of the Dapa-Socorro, Surigao MTC; Adriano Savillo Iloilo City RTC; and Domingo Casiple of Kalibo, Aklan RTC – are not handling drug cases, either, she said.

“It would be very helpful if the investigators who included the names of Judges Dagala and Gonzales inform the Court how these MTC judges can be considered as influencing the drug trade,” Sereno said.

Sereno said only Judge Antonio Reyes of Baguio City, Benguet RTC presides over the designated drugs court.

The chief presidential legal counsel, Salvador Panelo, defended the President.

“I beg to disagree with the Chief Justice’s comment. The announcement is to the judges’ advantage as it will give them the opportunity to clear their names through the media rather than when cases are formally filed against them, which will give them a short time to file their counter-affidavits, and preclude from discussing their defense in public because it will become subjudice,” Panelo said.

Communications Secretary

Martin Andanar, on the other hand, said the list of names that Duterte publicized might have been outdated, but said the information had gone through a stringent process of verification, validation and revalidation.

“It is an old list,” he said.

The Palace came under fire for naming one judge that had already died.

Four of the police officers from Northern Mindanao named are also behind bars, and of the 17 Mindanao mayors named, only seven are in office.

“The PDEA, the PNP will have to talk to different agencies to vet the list,” Andanar said.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Ismael Sueno said Monday Duterte was sad that he had to name some of his friends who were on the list.

“Few people helped him in the campaign but it hurts him that some who were with him are in the list but he cannot do anything.

It’s hard for him,” Sueno told radio dzMM. “Just to eliminate the drug menace, he doesn’t mind whoever will be affected. That’s how passionate he is to eliminate drugs in the country,” he added.

In his speech, the President said his duty to the country outweighs his friendship with the drug-linked officials.

Sueno said Duterte first presented his list of “narco-politicians” to his Cabinet secretaries before announcing it in a live televised speech.

Many Cabinet secretaries, he said, were shocked when they discovered that some of the President’s close friends, including the few people who helped in his campaign, were identified in the list.

Sueno added that more names of public officials, including congressmen, governors and even barangay captains involved in illegal drugs would soon be announced.

He said incumbent local officials tagged by Duterte may face charges and immediate suspension.

On Sunday night, the most wanted suspected drug lord in Central Visayas surrendered to Philippine National Police chief Ronald dela Rosa in Camp Crame.

Franz Sabalones yielded to Dela Rosa in Camp Crame and

admitted having assumed control of Cebu’s drug trade following the death of drug kingpin Jeffrey “Jaguar” Diaz in a police encounter last month.

Sabalones is the brother of Fralz Sabalones, the incumbent vice mayor of San Fernando, Cebu.

The vice mayor was also identified by Duterte but he denied the allegations against him.

Dela Rosa said there was no arrest warrant for Sabalones’ brother, however.

He said Sabalones confided that an unidentified police colonel was receiving P200,000 weekly payola from illegal drugs deal.

However, he declined to reveal the name of the police colonel.

“He told me the amount he also gives to the chief of police. He also disclosed some names [of those who] are involved in illegal drugs,” said Dela Rosa.

Dela Rosa on Monday berated 31 policemen who surrendered after being tagged by Duterte.

“I really want to melt in shame because of what happened. I am the Chief PNP, I am leading the PNP with people who are involved with drugs syndicates,” Dela Rosa said.

“We are policemen, [expletive] we are here to serve yet you collect money from drugs [expletive],” Dela Rosa said. “[Expletive] we are here to solve the illegal drugs but you are the ones adding to the problem,” he said.

Dela Rosa said he could not bear the shame upon hearing the names of policemen from the mouth of President Duterte.

There were 163 policemen on Duterte’s list.

Among the police districts, the Manila Police District had the highest number of drug-related killings, data from the National Capital Region Police Office showed.

The NCRPO said that the number of drug suspects killed were recorded from July 1 to Aug. 7 in its five police district offices.

Topping the list was the MPD with a total of 66 drug suspects slain during the period.

The NCRPO said the five police district offices have recorded a total number of drug suspects killed at 168 since July. With Francisco Tuyay and Sandy Araneta

ages of food and medicine, and inflation running at 181 percent.

With an index of 188.2 percent, the South American country is easily the “world’s most miserable” place. It is followed by Bosnia at 48.97 percent and South Africa at 32.90 percent.

Thailand’s unemployment rate was around one percent at the end

of June, while its consumer price index rose 0.1 percent year-on-year in July versus a 0.4-percent increase in June.

Even so, it’s not all roses and rapture for the Southeast Asian nation. Slowing inflation, though welcome for consumers, may signal a less than healthy economy.

Disinflation is a sign that the

demand for goods and services is insufficient to match supply in an economy, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. global market analyst Satoshi Okagawa says. It encourages consumers to delay purchases until goods become cheaper, further lowering demand. In this deflationary spiral, wages will drop, Okagawa adds. Bloomberg

1996, he received a brand new car and a house and lot from private donors. Then, he quit boxing and became an actor.

Diaz said her success hasn’t sunk in yet, but dismissed the idea of a movie career.

“Artista? Hindi ah,” said Diaz, who is expected to arrive in the country on Aug. 11.

Diaz bagged the silver with a total lift of 200 kilos, with a best lift of 88 kilos in the snatch and 112 kilos in the snatch and jerk.

Diaz failed in her first attempt at 88 kilos in the snatch and then in her last at 91 kilos. In the clean and jerk, she opened up with a good lift at 111, then made 112 before failing in her last attempt at 117 kilos.

“We are not going home emptyhanded. We are all very happy about Hidilyn’s accomplishment. But we must remember that we have other athletes who are competing. Let us continue to cheer for them and who knows what might happen,” said the Philippine team’s head Joey Romasanta.

China’s Li Yajun, who set a new Olympic record of 101 kilos in the snatch, looked assured of the gold.

But she could not complete a lift in the snatch and jerk, failing at 123 kilos once and then twice at 126 kilos.

It was a grave tactical error on the part of the Chinese, who could have won the gold without trying to lift 123 or 126 kilos. But they were too aggressive, going for the Olympic record without making sure they had won the medal first.

With three failed attempts in the clean and jerk, Li did not win any medal.

Taipei’s Hsu Shu-Ching eventually won the gold with a total lift of 212 (100 in the snatch and 112 in the clean and jerk). South Korea’s Yoon Jin Hee benefited from the Chinese blunder because instead of being fourth she won the bronze.

Yoon had a 199 total (88-111).

Diaz said she was already being congratulated for winning the bronze when the South Korean camp started rejoicing at the

warm-up area, saying they won the bronze. Nobody expected the Chinese to fail in all three attempts in the clean and jerk.

“I was surprised why the South Koreans were celebrating when everybody thought they were fourth. It turned out that they had won the bronze. Taipei took the gold instead of the silver and we, the silver instead of the bronze,” said Diaz.

Diaz said she already contacted her mother in Zamboanga City, and thanked her conditioning coach in Manila, Jay Putalan. She also thanked the doctors who are here with the Philippine delegation, Dr. Ferdinand Brawner and chiropractic expert Martin Camara.

Diaz dedicated the win to her mother, Emelita, who celebrated her 53rd birthday the other day.

She said they spoke on the phone after the victory. She was told that her mother, based in Zamboanga City, cried watching her win a medal. With John Paolo Bencito and Macon Ramos-Araneta

From A1

Sereno said that it has been careful in handling investigations and administrative cases against judges.

The administrative process in the judiciary is very sensitive so as not to affect the good reputation of judges, which is their “primary badge of credibility and the only legacy that many of our judges can leave behind,” Sereno said.

Sereno also expressed concern for the safety of the judges that Duterte named.

“Too many of our judges have been assassinated, 26 since 1999, a large proportion of them reportedly at the behest of crime lords, more specifically, drug lords…

Our judges may have been rendered vulnerable and veritable targets for any of those persons and groups who may consider judges as acceptable collateral damage in the ‘war on drugs’,” she said.

Sereno appealed to the President to reconsider his order to disarm the judges he implicated to drugs “until a proper investigation concludes that formal criminal charges should be brought against them.”

Disagreeing with Duterte’s order for the seven judges to surrender, Sereno said: “I would caution them very strongly against ‘surrendering’ or making themselves physically accountable to any police officer in the absence of any duly-issued warrant of arrest that is pending.”

Sereno invoked the Court’s jurisdiction over cases against the so-called narco judges. “As the sole entity charged with the discipline of judges, the Supreme Court decides when judges are excused from bench duty and report to it,” she said.

“The Court would consider it important to know the source and basis of any allegation that specific judges are involved in the illegal drugs trade in line with its duty to exercise administrative supervision over all lower court,” she said.

Nonetheless, the Chief Justice assured the President that the judiciary is mindful of the need to cleanse its ranks of members involved in illegal drugs.

Misery...

From A1

the 17th least miserable country while the US takes 21st place.

China follows closely in 23rd spot.

Venezuela is at the other end of the scale as the plunging oil revenues have led to chronic short-

Diaz...

From A1

Diaz’s total of 200 kg at the Rio Games on Sunday not only ended the country’s 20-year Olympic medal drought, it also made her the first Mindanaoan to win an Olympic medal.

Diaz is a veteran of three Olympics despite her youth, making her debut in Beijing eight years ago. In London four years later, she failed on all her clean and jerk attempts, prompting her to move down to a lighter class for Rio, which had just seven competitors.

Hsu Shu-ching of Chinese Taipei won the gold and the bronze went to Yoon Jin Hee of South Korea.

A cash windfall of at least P5 million from the government and other incentives from private donors await her when she comes home.

Developer 8990 Deca Homes is giving Diaz a house and lot for her accomplishment.

When Velasco won the silver in

employ these as defensive and offensive weapons against the enemy,” the CPP adds.

Despite orders to use landmines against the military, the CPP said they support the peace negotiation and urged Duterte “to fullfill his promise to release all NDFP consultants so they can lend their expertise in scheduled negotiations and discussions on socio-economic reforms and political and constitutional reforms.”

“If he does so, the GRP president will succeed in convincing the revolutionary forces that he is indeed a man of honor. He will also succeed in proving that his government is indeed different from the past regime which only used peace negotiations in a vain attempt to cause the surrender of the NPA,” the statement concluded.

Team...

From A1 “I can assure you this is the basis of 42 years as a soldier and six years serving as a former President, that no one in the world wants World War III to happen except for some crazy guys.”

Ramos said the Philippines wanted its neighbors to understand that the most dangerous enemies of the world today were no longer people or countries or groups of countries.

“The most deadly universal enemies of mankind are poverty, hunger, the lack of potable water and sanitation, and therefore this gives rise to the most difficult disease or diseases to treat or to counter already. This is affecting the ongoing Rio Olympics,” Ramos said.

“These are some of the messages I’m going to discuss with some of our friends. I am just the icebreaker to warm up again our good friendly neighborly relations with China, and that’s all I have to do and maybe that’s all I can do. But that is a big enough job as I see it and I’ll do my best.”

Ramos said President Rodrigo Duterte did not give him any formal instructions.

“Because this is just a first phase of renewing friendship―maybe four or five days on the instruction.

There are really no instructions because he [Duterte] is busy giving instructions to everybody,” Ramos said.

“What he said was please just renew our friendship with your friends from China, that’s all. But I’m expecting that the formal phase of bilateral talks will take place in the near future between the officials of our countries.”

Last month, President Duterte asked Ramos to serve as a special envoy to China over their territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea. Ramos accepted the offer in a private meeting in Davao City.

Ramos, 88, who was President from 1992 to 1998, has had an experience in dealing with China over the West Philippine Sea after Philippine security forces discovered the first military structures on Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands in 1995.

The government issued a formal protest over China’s occupation of the reef and the Philippine Navy arrested 62 Chinese fishermen at Half Moon Shoal, 80 kilometers from Palawan. Joel E. Zurbano

Solons...

From A1

added. But Alvarez said having lawmakers submit to a drug test, in the absence of a law requiring it, would have to be a matter of personal choice.

Singson said he would take up the matter with Alvarez “to show Congress is also cooperating in the fight against illegal drugs.”

Quimbo said there is nothing wrong with lawmakers being required to undergo drug tests.

“It should not be encouraged but should be required,” Quimbo said, adding that “members of Congress should not be too onionskinned.”

In fact, he said, Congress as an institution should take the lead in the campaign against illegal drugs.

Last week, President Duterte named several public officials involved in the illegal drug trade, including several former and incumbent lawmakers.

In Pampanga, Mabalacat City Mayor Mariano Morales presented himself to the police after he was included in Duterte’s list.

Regional director Chief Supt.

Aaron Aquino, however, told Morales to proceed to Camp Crame to clear his name.

“I have no order to hold you as of now, Aquino told Morales.

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

LRT fare hike review set

By Darwin G. Amojelar

T

HE Department of Transportation said on Monday it is reviewing the planned 10-percent fare hike at the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 this month.

“The 10-percent fare hike is stipulated in the agreement. We will respect the contract, but we will have a dialogue with [Light Rail Manila Corp.],” Cherie Mercado, DOTr spokesperson told reporters in a briefing.

In October 2014, LRMC won a 32-year contract to operate and maintain the existing LRT1 and construct an 11.7-kilometer extension from the Baclaran end-

point all the way to the Niog area in Bacoor, Cavite.

A total of eight new stations will be built along this route, which traverses the cities of Parañaque, Las Piñas and Bacoor.

“There won’t be an LRT fare hike until the government has spoken with the concessionaire,” she said, adding there will be a meeting with LRMC this week

2 HPG cops rapped over ‘viral’ arrest of motorist

By Rey E. Requejo CRIMINAL complaints have been filed against two Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group personnel for allegedly torturing a motorcycle rider in an incident that went viral on social media.

This came after the four-member panel of the Public Attorney’s Office recommended filing charges as a result of its investigation of the July 29 incident that led to the death of John dela Riarte.

PO2 Jonjie Manon-og and PO3 Jeremiah de Villa were charged for violation of Republic Act No. 9745, or the anti-torture law, violation of R.A. No. 7438 or the law on the rights of arrested persons, and murder under Article 248 of the Revised Penal Code.

In its seven-page report, the PAO panel said it was not inclined to believe that Dela Riarte resisted arrest, contrary to the HPG’s claim that the man was being “rude.”

Instead, the video taken by the star witness showed Dela Riarte was punched in the stomach with a gun, slapped on the face and elbowed on the back.

PAO noted that the “seemingly unnecessary force/torture” shown by the video actually prompted it to recommend the filing of the charges for violating RA No. 9745.

The report also cited the findings of PAO Forensic Laboratory Director Erwin P. Erfe, who said that Dela Riarte was shot five times close to the heart, liver and hips—a manner described as “execution style.”

Erfe stressed that Dela Riarte sustained seven gunshot wounds, five of which are entry wounds. Four of the gunshots came from the front, while one came from the back.

1st patrol boat from Tokyo arrives Aug. 18

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan ONE of the 10 patrol boats committed by Japan is scheduled to arrive on August 18, Coast Guard spokesman Commander Armand Balilo confirmed Monday as one of the vessels was underway to the country.

Although both the Japanese Embassy and Department of Foreign Affairs could not confirm the report, Balilo said that another patrol boats will be turned over in December while the rest of the eight vessels is set to be turned over every three months or until December 2018.

“One more arriving on August 18. Next will be in December. After that, they’ll deliver every three months until they’re completed,” Balilo said.

Named as the BRP Tubbataha, the first patrol boat and the nine other multi-role response vessels will be classified as parola, or lighthouse-class vessels, each of which will be manned by at least 25 PCG personnel.

The vessel is 44 meters long and has a depth of four meters with a maximum speed of 25 knots.

The first patrol vessel was named after the Tubbataha Reef, a marine reservation area in Palawan.

The 10 patrol vessels are provided by Japan through its Official Development Assistance facility.

In 2014, the Japanese government has appropriated P29-billion soft loan to provide new 40-meters multi-role response vessel to the Philippines. The patrol vessels costs around $10 million.

to review the terms of the contract.

At present, the fare for the LRT1 is P30 for single journey and P29 for stored value tickets when travelling end-to-end or from Roosevelt Avenue in Quezon City to the Baclaran station in Pasay City.

Mercado added that fare hike will depend on the improvement of the service at LRT1.

Meanwhile, LRMC said elevators and escalators at two passenger stations of LRT are now back in operation, following the issuance of permits to operate by the city governments of Manila and Pasay.

LRMC said six escalators and two elevators at the Doroteo Jose Station and two elevators at the Edsa Station are among the 32 lifts already rehabilitated in partnership with original equipment manufacturers Schindler and Otis.

The company is optimistic that the lifts in Roosevelt, Balintawak, and Monumento stations will likewise be granted permits to operate in the next few months

for the convenience of the average 400,000 commuters along the LRT 1.

The restored elevators and escalators also include upgrades incorporating PWD-compliant features such as Braille buttons, accessibility of location of the controls to persons in wheelchairs, among others.

Since taking over the concession last September 2015, LRMC has been undertaking system improvements in LRT 1 such as the repair of light rail vehicles, rail replacements, deployment of additional manpower, and improvement of the stations’ lighting for the safety and better visibility of passengers.

Earlier, LRMC announced the improvements of LRT 1 passenger stations in preparation for the delivery of new trains from the DOTr and Light Rail Transit Authority.

All 20 passenger stations of the existing LRT 1 system will be improved to enhance accessibility, safety, and security of commuters.

LRMC is the joint venture of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation’s Metro Pacific Light Rail Corp. and Ayala’s AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp. and the Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructure’s Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) Pte. Ltd.

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Opinion

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

mstdaydesk@gmail.com

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

The President’s list

P

resident Rodrigo Duterte has named at least 157 judges, mayors, police and military officers who were supposedly involved in the trade of illegal drugs.

The list, released on Sunday, will not be the last; lawmakers and governors will be named in the next round of revelations. Weeks ago, three active and two retired police generals as well as a municipal mayor were tagged for their narcotics links.

The President directed the judges to report to

the Supreme Court and the police and military officers to their mother units. Mayors, he said, would be stripped of their security escorts and would lose authority over the local police.

Some of those named have come forward. They insist on their innocence, saying they welcomed a thorough investigation to clear their names.

The President keeps his list close to his chest, says a Palace spokesman. Apparently, so close that only he knows about how the information was gathered

and validated. In fact, he said, he takes personal responsibility for it.

Some names may be accurate, some may not.

It turns out that some of those named on the list have been dead for years.

A Palace spokesman admitted as much—that the list may not be updated.

For the still-living officials who had been named, accuracy is irrelevant. They have been shamed already. The guilty ones must have pondered the likelihood of their deeds catching up with them, however they

loudly protest their innocence. Those who are innocent—if any of them ever are—would have suffered the blow to their reputation, the stigma to their families, the backlash on their careers and the danger to their lives.

The shame offensive appears to be working too—we are sure that the yet-unnamed officials who do have links to the drug trade are now living their days in utter trepidation. Those still at the crossroads, wondering whether or not to dip their hands

into drug money that once seemed so lucrative a nd so easy to get away w ith, should bewa re.

The President has our respect for his decisiveness to name and shame those who profess to be public servants but who turn out serving their own interests, first. This is the general decay that he talked about during his inauguration: not drugs, per se, but the erosion of confidence in the people who are supposed to lead us. These hypocrites should be ac-

corded no less.

We expect a swift legal process to follow, to ensure that the accused have their day in court and are judged as they deserve.

The President, a lawyer, must know that the fight is not one of perception, but of hard proof.

Before all this, however, Mr. Duterte must realize he cannot be too casual with his list. It’s a list that spells the difference between life and death, not only for those who are on it but for their families and their constituents.

EAGLE EYES TONY LA VIÑA

China’s failure on the marine environment

Agog and aghast

LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES A LINE from a favorite musical kept repeating in my head, as I stared at the screen very early on Sunday morning, listening to President Rodrigo Duterte along with other news junkies who were very much awake at that ungodly hour: I am agog, I am aghast.

Duterte was reading names off a list of 160 alleged protectors of drug syndicates in the government service, a list that included some close friends of his who helped him win the presidency. Then he confirmed that he had allowed the remains of the late President Ferdinand Marcos to be buried at the Libingan ng Mga Bayani —after which he dared those against his decision to hold month-long rallies, if they so desired.

This is a man with balls the size of Davao City, I told myself. Here is a president who doesn’t really care who is

against him, as long as he is doing what he believes is the right thing.

I have never heard of a president (or any Philippine politician, for that matter) who is as daring and uncaring of the possible consequences of his speech and action as Duterte.

And having been long accustomed to people in high office who immediately forget all the promises they had made upon their election, I am forced to remember what else Digong had said he would do – because I am now convinced that he intends to fulfill every one of the vows he made before his assumption to the presidency.

Let’s take a look at what Duterte said in those pre-dawn hours. And prepare, once again, to be amazed by this political outlier from Mindanao who was not merely content to win it all, he also feels committed to actually deliver

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I told myself: Here is a president who doesn’t care who is against him, as long as he is doing the right thing.” on what he has promised.

By identifying the alleged drug-ring protectors, Duterte once again upped the ante in his crusade against the seemingly all-pervasive vice. His critics, both here and abroad, were still warming up on the killing of hundreds of mostly poor drug suspects when the president delivered on his promise to name and shame

Benjamin Philip G. Romualdez Former Chief Justice Renato S. Puno Anita F. Grefal Maan Ilustre Edgar M. Valmorida

the mayors, judges, soldiers and even policemen who were involved in the illicit trade.

Suddenly, the contention that the campaign against drugs is intended to punish only the poor users and marginal pushers is no longer valid. Duterte has once again gone where no politician has gone before, calling out his fellow government servants for their supposed involvement in the drug trade.

Duterte also preempted the criticism that he was once again not according the officials he identified due process.

“Due process has nothing to do with my mouth,” he said, “[because] there are no proceedings here, no lawyers.”

It’s true that Duterte may have been fed some wrong information, as well, especially when it was revealed that at least one judge he named had already been dead for several

Chairman Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Treasury Manager Advertising and Marketing Head Circulation Manager

years. But as Duterte candidly admitted, he may be wrong— but he is taking full responsibility for the list.

In the dead of night, I found myself smiling. It seemed like so long ago when we had a president who never took responsibility for anything he did, after all. *** And then, replying to a reporter’s question, Duterte confronted the issue of the Marcos burial head on. The President explained that the military’s own rules for burial at the heroes’ cemetery already qualified the dead former dictator for a final resting place there.

According to Duterte, any former president and soldier can be buried at the heroes’ cemetery. Since Marcos was both, he said, there should be no reason to deny him the privilege.

ONE major issue raised by the Philippine government panel before the Permanent Court of Arbitration arbitral tribunal on the South China Sea/ West Philippine Sea dispute was China’s failure to live up to its obligations to conserve and protect the marine environment under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. It was a master stroke that the Philippines, among others, hired Philippe Sands, a Bristish lawyer from London, to advocate for us in this issue. Philippe, whom I have met several times, is one of the world’s top environmental lawyers. He is also fond of the Philippines, being a friend among others of the late Justice Florentino Feliciano whom he considered as responsible for laying down a pro-environment jurisprudence in the World Trade Organization when the latter was a member of its Appellate Body.

As noted by the tribunal: “The South China Sea includes highly productive fisheries and extensive coral reef ecosystems, which are among the most biodiverse in the world. The marine environment around Scarborough Shoal and the Spratly Islands has an extremely high level of biodiversity of species, including fishes, corals, echinoderms, mangroves, seagrasses, giant clams, and marine turtles, some of which are recognized as vulnerable or endangered. . . While coral reefs are amongst the most biodiverse and socioeconomically important ecosystems, they are also fragile and degrade under human pressures.

Threats to coral reefs include overfishing, destructive fishing, pollution, human habitation, and construction.”

In this regard, the Philippines alleged that China failed to protect the marine environment due to harmful fishing practices and harmful construction activities. The Philippine panel during hearing adduced evidence showing these Chinese fishing vessels engaged in destructive practices by harvesting corals, endangered “sharks, eels, turtles and corals, giant clams, among others. Some

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Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

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Opinion HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA

The real oligarchs

By Christopher Balding FOR a long time, there was a recurring stereotype about China’s economy: If growth started to slow significantly, the argument went, prudent technocrats in Beijing could always prop it up with fiscal stimulus and keep the country’s financial institutions afloat.

Yet now reality is intervening harshly. China’s public finances are in worse shape than is com-

EVERY Filipino enjoys the constitutional right to be presumed innocent until the contrary is proved. Jurisprudence on this constitutional right states that the prosecution has the burden of proving the guilt of the accused, and the latter need not establish his innocence. Moreover, the prosecution must rely on the strength of its own evidence, and cannot rely on the weakness of the evidence of the defense.

Law students are taught that when a person commits a felony, the offense is committed not so much against the individual complainant, but against the State. In other words, the State is the real offended party and, as such, it has the duty of prosecuting the offender.

That is why a complainant cannot file a criminal complaint against a respondent directly in court; it has to be submitted to an investigating prosecutor of the Department of Justice first. If the investigator finds “probable cause” to charge the respondent, then the DoJ files the corresponding criminal case in court in the name of the “People of the Philippines.”

Law students are also taught that the “nominal” parties to a criminal investigation—complainant and respondent—are entitled to justice because justice is for everyone regardless of social, financial, or educational status.

It is such a fundamental need, at

China’s...

From A4 were caught carrying cyanide, blasting caps, detonating cord, and dynamite.”

The Philippines expressed its concerns to Asean Member States on 21 May 2012 and sent a Note Verbale to the Chinese Embassy in Manila.

But in its dismissive response, China urged the Philippines to withdraw all Philippine ships immediately, and once again urged that the Philippines “immediately pull out” all remaining ships and “desist from disturbing the operation of Chinese fishing boats and law enforcement activities by China’s public service ships.”

The second aspect of the Philippines’ environmental submissions relates to Chinese construction activities on seven features in the Spratly Islands.

Typically starting with basic aluminum, wooden, or fiberglass structures supported by steel bars with cement bases, over time, China installed more sophisticated structures, including concrete multi-storey buildings, wharves, helipads, and weather and communications instruments. According to the Tribunal’s experts, construction and dredging activities can impact reef systems in three ways: (a) direct destruction of reef hab-

Agog...

From A4

Duterte challenged those against the burial to stage protest actions, promising to give them a month-long permit to do so, as long as they do not impede the flow of traffic. “Hold demonstrations, go ahead. You can use the streets for a month,” he promised.

The President showed the same lack of interest in opposition to the Marcos burial

times even more important than food and shelter.

Under the law, the DoJ is expected to make justice accessible to everybody. Unfortunately, the DoJ under Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II seems unaware of the constitutional right to be presumed innocent, and the jurisprudence that defines it. The DoJ likewise appears oblivious to the role of the State and the private offended party in a criminal case, and to the concept of justice itself.

This is confirmed by the excessive fees being charged by the DoJ from people who seek the justice the DoJ is obligated under the law to deliver in the first place.

As discussed in this column last week, the fees are not only excessive; they are anomalous.

A victim of large-scale swindling will naturally want justice.

To do so, he must file the corresponding complaint with the DoJ office where the crime was committed. For his complaint to be entertained by the DoJ, he must pay a fee. Good grief!

That’s a price tag on justice!

Revoltingly, the fee depends on how much was embezzled.

In short, the more money embezzled, the higher the fee. This arrangement favors big-time swindlers because when the amount involved is, for example, P100 million, the fee for justice is a whopping P1 million! It also means that if a swindler does not want to be sued, he should steal big to make the fee for prosecuting him very prohibitive. If that does not prevent his prosecution, the bigtime swindler has enough stolen money to bribe his way

with corrupt officials.

To repeat, the real offended party in a criminal case is the State, and the State has the duty to prosecute criminals. By requiring a fee for a complaint, the DoJ in effect requires payment from the public before it will perform its duty.

That’s justice for a fee! What are taxes for if justice from the DoJ has a price tag?

Fees are imposed by the DoJ on just about anything in the investigation process. There are fees for filing a motion for reconsideration, a motion for reinvestigation, and a motion for the inhibition of an investigating prosecutor.

Why should a fee be paid to undo administrative incompetence? When a finding made by the investigating prosecutor against the respondent is erroneous, why should the respondent be required to pay a fee to correct the error of the investigating prosecutor? What happened to his constitutional right to be presumed innocent? Evidently, the DoJ has made the payment of the fee a prerequisite to the enjoyment of the constitutional right to be presumed innocent. That’s a price tag on a constitutional right.

Pleadings filed in DoJ cases have to be under oath, to be administered by the investigating prosecutor. A fee is charged for that. Why should a party be required to pay to attest to the truth of his statements submitted to a government investigator? Isn’t administering the oath his duty in the first place?

The import of the requirement is that if the fee is not paid, then

the pleading will not be accepted.

That arrangement is manifestly unjust, because the quest for truth is made to depend, once again, on the payment of a fee. Worse, a respondent who does not pay the fee may end up facing a criminal prosecution, not because he is guilty, but because he did not pay the fee demanded by the DoJ. Where is the justice there?

As expected, the excuse tendered by the DoJ is that paupers are exempted from the fee. That’s beside the point. The justice system must operate equally on everybody, pauper or otherwise. Just because one can afford a fee is not enough reason to require him to pay one—especially if what is involved is the quest for justice.

For example, one who wishes to transfer the title to real estate to one’s name, or one who wishes to obtain a driver’s license, ought to pay a fee for those transactions. The desire for justice, however, is something else. Putting a price tag on it is unthinkable because it reduces justice to a commodity sold in the marketplace.

Even if a pauper is exempted from the payment requirement, the documentary requirements a pauper must satisfy to avail of the exemption are so difficult and expensive to acquire, and thus renders the exemption illusory.

To repeat, President Duterte must put an end to this anomaly in the DoJ. It’s bad enough that many people believe that justice is for sale in this country. Sadly, the fees imposed by the DoJ encourage that belief.

itat through burial under sand, gravel and rubble; (b) indirect impacts on benthic organisms such as corals and seagrasses via altered hydrodynamics, increased sedimentation, turbidity, and nutrient enrichment; and (c) indirect impacts on organisms in the water column, such as fishes and larvae, from sediments, chemical and nutrient release, and noise. As was typical, China only ignored the Philippines’ protests. China maintains that its island-building project “had gone through science-based evaluation and assessment with equal importance given to construction and protection” and that it had taken “full account of issues of ecological preservation and fishery protection” and “followed strict environmental protection standards.”

By way of conclusion, the Tribunal found that China has, through its toleration and protection of, and failure to prevent Chinese fishing vessels engaging in harmful harvesting activities of endangered species at Scarborough Shoal, Second Thomas Shoal and other features in the Spratly Islands, breached Articles 192 and 194(5) of the Convention.

Among others, the Philippines charged China with failing to prevent its fishermen to fish within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone at Second Thomas

Shoal or Mischief Reef, an issue that China did not address. In its contemporaneous statements, China merely insisted that the Philippines did not exercise jurisdiction over Second Thomas Shoal or Mischief Reef. On these marine features, The Tribunal has held that Mischief Reef and Second Thomas Shoal are low-tide elevations located within areas where only the Philippines possesses possible entitlements to maritime zones under the Convention. These areas can only constitute the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines.

As such, according to the tribunal, Chinese nationals are bound to comply with the licensing and other access procedures of the Philippines within any area forming part of the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines. With respect to the illegal fishing activities by Chinese fishermen, the tribunal noted that China’s de facto control over the waters surrounding both features effectively limits the information available to the Philippines and to the tribunal. Despite these limitations the Tribunal gave credence to the accounts by the Philippines armed forces that Chinese fishing vessels, accompanied by the ships of CMS, were engaged in fishing at both Mischief Reef and Second Thomas

Shoal in May 2013. That Chinese fishing vessels have been closely escorted by government CMS vessels makes these actions of official acts of China and are all attributable to China as such.

Regarding the Scarborough shoal, the tribunal subscribe to the submission that the surrounding waters have continued to serve as traditional fishing grounds for fishermen, including those from the Philippines, Viet Nam, and China (including from Taiwan). Records show that the atoll was a traditional fishing ground for exotic fishes such“[b] onito, talakitok, tanguige and other species of fish found beneath or near rocks.” Beginning in April 2012, the Philippine Coast guard reported increased presence of Chinese vessels in the area. While Chinese vessels were physically blockading the entrance to Scarborough Shoal, and driving away Filipino fishermen with water cannon, Chinese fishing vessels have continued to fish at Scarborough Shoal.

Finally, China’s islandbuilding activities also violate specific provisions of the Convention, the tribunal added.

The final column of this series on the arbitral decision on the South China/West Philippine Sea dispute will be discussed in the next and final article.

the anti-drug campaign—were inevitable.

But none of the critics of Duterte’s declaration to have Marcos buried in the heroes’ cemetery assailed the legality of the president’s decision. And I doubt very much if any of them would really hold protest actions for any significant period of time to back up their fevered claims of being scandalized by it.

And even if they do, then they are just exercising their rights, as Duterte is the first to say.

He vowed not to do anything to stop protesters, like hosing them down with water cannon, “because I want to save the water to fight actual fires.”

This, then, is Duterte at his rawest: The man who captured the imagination of ordinary Filipinos all over the land with his implacability and resoluteness.

The critics may carp all they want. But if you listen hard enough, you just might hear the people sing.

case that he showed just minutes before to critics of his anti-drug campaign, when he was exposing the supposed protectors of the illegal drug syndicates. The difference was, this was a purely political decision that was based on a promise made during the campaign.

Yet Duterte never wavered.

And the catcalls from the antiMarcos crowd—who, strangely, seemed to belong to the same group that criticized Digong on

Why China can’t solve its debt problem monly understood. And as debt levels rise and the economy remains sluggish, the government’s ability to boost growth looks increasingly precarious.

According to the International Monetary Fund, China is expected to run a moderate budget deficit of three percent of gross domestic product this year, with a manageable debt load equal to 46.8 percent of the economy, ranking it 100th out of 184 countries.

But there’s more here than

A5

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More on the injustice at the DoJ

TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

WHILE listening to President against Ongpin for lack of eviDuterte last week, I almost fell dence. This should have been from my chair when I heard a vindication. But that did not him say he wanted to destroy seem enough for minions of the oligarchs. In fact, he cited BS Aquino at the Securities businessman Roberto “Bobby” and Exchange Commission who continued BS Aquino’s Ongpin as an example.

I referred to my trusty Web- persecution by also accusster’s Concise Desk Encyclo- ing him of insider trading. pedia to know who or what an The Court of Appeals issued oligarch is. Here’s what I got: a temporary restraining order “Oligarchy is the rule of the on the SEC decision.

In fact, Ongpin should be few, and in their own interests.

It was first identified as a form commended.

Ongpin was also accused by of government by the Greek philosopher, Aristotle. In mod- Duterte as embedded in governern times, there have been a ment through PhilWeb, which number of oligarchies, some- continued from the the GMA times posing as democracies: administration until now. But the paramilitary rule of the Du- this has been suspended until valier family in Haiti, 1957-86 Pagcor has cleared the government’s policy against online is an example.”

Mr. Duterte singled out Ong- gambling.

PhilWeb’s five-year contract pin, my former student at Ateneo High School, saying he had with Pagcor ends tomorrow.

Ongpin and his daughter Ana been embedded in government from the time he was trade min- Bettina have since resigned from PhilWeb as chairman and ister during the Marcos regime.

Santa Banana, I said to my- vice chairman, respectively.

The problem of PhilWeb, self, whoever fed Duterte that information must have some- once it doesn’t renew its conthing against Ongpin. They tract with Pagcor, is that no less could be members of the Yellow than 5,000 will lose their jobs.

Army who have suddenly be- This would also mean foregone corporate income tax, VAT and come fans of the President.

Through the years, I have other taxes of about P280 milmade it my obligation to follow lion annually. In the past 14 the lives of my former students, years, PhilWeb has managed Bobby included. I was proud Pagcor’s e-Games network and when he became the youngest has remitted over P14 billion managing partner of the SGV to Pagcor. My gulay, Pagcor’s group founded by Washington income goes to the President’s Sycip—son of the China Bank social fund, sports and healthfounder, the late Albino Sycip care and others, averaging P6 million daily or over P2.1 bilwho was my good friend.

When the late strongman lion annually.

There’s also the fact that President Marcos tapped Bobby as one of his technocrats, Philweb’s contract with Paghe created what was known as cor cannot be categorically the “Binondo Central Bank.” called “online gambling,” but e-Games.

They dictatThey cannot be ed the dollar accessed from rates. a home or ofMy gulay, These are ones fice computer. to make banks It is a private, comply to the truly embedded in members-only Binondo Cen- the government. ” network of clubs tral Bank, he where players threatened to need to be physiput Binondo cally present. Acdollar black market operators in the stock- cess to these clubs is limited, and is only open to members, ade under Martial Law. After the 1986 People Power over 21 years old, and who are Revolution or Edsa 1, Bobby financially capable of gamleft the country and joined the bling.

I refer to the excellent colWorld Bank, which wanted him to replicate his success umn of my colleague Tony in creating the Binondo Cen- Lopez. The President doesn’t tral Bank in Egypt. Later on, have look far if he wants to during the Ramos and Estra- find some real oligarchs.

The Lopez clan that owns da regimes, Bobby stayed in Hong Kong when he became ABS-CBN has been embeda partner of the Kuok Group ded in government for decades of companies that built the except during the Marcos dicShangri-La chain of hotels. He tatorship. Gina Lopez, heiress became vice chairman of the to the Lopez clan, is secretary influential South China Morn- of environment and natural resources, and she has the ear ing Post.

It was only during the of the President. The Ayalas, GMA administration when too, are perfect examples of he came back to the coun- oligarchs.

That is what is called emtry. In partnership with Ashmore, he put up Alphaland to bedded in government. The develop high-end properties, Ayalas have former Globe exlike the Balesin Island Club ecutive Rodolfo Salalima as and the Makati Place at the information and technology secretary. There is the Villar end of Ayala Avenue.

To say that Ongpin was em- political dynasty. The patribedded in government and is arch was once Speaker of the an oligarch is farthest from the House and Senate President.

Wife Cynthia is now a senatruth.

When BS Aquino came to tor. His son Mark is secretary power in 2010, Ongpin was of public works and highways.

I’d even add to Tony ‘s list harassed and persecuted.

Aquino lapdogs at the Devel- of real oligarchs the members opment Bank of the Philip- of the Makati Business Club pines even charged him for as well as the politically influobtaining a “behest loan” ential Iglesia ni Cristo, the El amounting to P556 million. He Shaddai of Mike Velarde and was also charged with insider Jesus is Lord of Eddie Villanueva. They have all been trading.

Soon, the Sandiganbayan embedded in government for dismissed all the charges their own purposes.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

meets the eye. The headline number used by the IMF covers only central government debt, not that of provinces and municipalities.

Since more than 80 percent of public spending in China comes from local governments, that’s an important omission.

And yet they still obscure the true amount. Furthermore, investors and ratings firms struggle to draw a clear distinction between government debt and private debt.

It’s widely assumed in China that

the government stands behind most debt owed by state-owned companies to strategic enterprises or other favored firms. And investors have tended to believe that the government will back most every major company or project.

So far, they’ve been right: Despite rising defaults, the government hasn’t allowed any major firm to collapse for fear of triggering a crisis. Yet stresses are rising in China’s banking system, and with public debt a more serious

problem than official figures let on—and still rising—the government is increasingly constrained.

There are a number of steps Beijing could take to address this mess. Deleveraging should be first. Restrictions on what local governments can borrow simply encourage new and creative ways to hide their debt, which actually makes them more difficult to rein in. More effective—if less politically appealing—would be allowing zombie firms to collapse,

slowing the rate of investment and accepting slower GDP growth.

If it doesn’t, mounting bad debts, double-digit deficits and a rickety financial system are going to make for an increasingly volatile combination. Bearish investors predicting large-scale devaluations and bank crises understand the risks that have historically accompanied such profligacy. If China’s credit can’t expand forever, it must stop—either by choice or by force. Bloomberg

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF Binay pleads innocence in graft raps FORMER Makati Mayor Junjun Binay on Monday pleaded not guilty to the malversation, graft and falsification of public documents charges leveled against him in connection with charges he is facing in connection with the allegedly overpriced P2.28-billion Makati City parking building.

Binay appeared at the Sandiganbayan Third Division asked the antigraft court that he be allowed to travel to the United States from August 14 to 24 as he has to accompany his six-year-old daughter who is seeking a medical check-up.

Binay faces four counts of violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, six counts of falsification of public documents as defined under Article 171 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC), and one count of malversation or violation of Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code, in connection with the alleged overpriced Makati parking building.

Maricel V. Cruz

New airport rules starts AVIATION authorities has started enforcing a new policy prohibiting non-commercial air transport planes at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport during peak hours in a bid to make the skies safer and ease air traffic at the country’s premier airport.

In a joint guidelines issued on July 28, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, Manila International Airport Authority, and the Civil Aeronautics Board agreed to restrict General Aviation operations and Aerial Works during peak hours at the country’s main gateway.

Violators of the new policy will be penalized in accordance with the pertinent provisions of Republic Act No. 9497, Republic Act No. 776, and Executive Order No. 778 Series of 1982, as amended.

Kadayawan a holiday in Davao MALACAÑANG on Monday announced August 15 and 22 special non-working holidays in the City of Davao in celebration of Kadayawan Festival and Araw ng Pasasalamat, respectively.

Proclamation No. 26 signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea on August 4 were declared special non-working holidays in the city where President Rodrigo Duterte has served for years as city mayor, before being elected to the presidency.

Also declared as special nonworking holidays were September 8 in Digos City in celebration of its 16th Charter Day under Proclamation No. 27 and September 15 in Bulacan in celebration of the 115th Anniversary of the Malolos Constitution, signed at the Barasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan.

OLYMPIC HONORS. Leyte Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez discusses with Alona party-list Rep. Ana Marie Suarez (2nd right) a resolution she filed at the House of Representatives seeking a commendation to the weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, who won the country’s third silver Olympic medal at the ongoing Rio Games. Ver Noveno

Dureza: Revived dev’t panel pushed

By John Paolo Bencito

T

HE government will revitalize the Mindanao Working Group under the Philippines Development Forum to complement the peace and development roadmap of the Duterte administration.

“The peace and development roadmap starts from the directive that [the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process] should not only be doing peace work—negotiating and signing agreements, engaging those who are on the other side of the table—but it is equally important to improve the lives of the stakeholders,” Peace Process Secretary Jesus Dureza said.

President Rodrigo Duterte had earlier said that he will be releasing an executive order giving more powers to the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process and help in delivering development projects.

The Mindanao Working Group was created together with nine other working groups to form part of the PDF, the primary mecha-

nism of the government for facilitating substantive policy dialogue among stakeholders on the country’s development agenda.

“It did not work before as we envisioned but hopefully we’ll learn from our mistakes in the past as we continue working together again,” the peace adviser added.

Dureza said that expanding the mandate of the OPAPP would ensure that development projects in conflict-affected communities are not delayed.

“You all know that the Philippine government has very long and stringent procurement policies, and that the OPAPP does not have the mandate to implement development projects.”

“That is why there are proposed amendments that are already with the President that will unclog bot-

tlenecks in development efforts in areas where there is conflict. We want to do this because we cannot make the people wait anymore for the peace dividends that were promised to them.”

“We will also take a look at the existing mechanisms of procurement to find possible ways of speeding up the process. We would like to hurry in our development work. We cannot make our people become anxious and restless when they do not felt the benefits from the dividends of peace.”

Dureza likewise asked the international organizations to continue their support on government’s peace efforts, particularly on the Bangsamoro peace process that will be moving towards the implementation stage.

“Our foreign partners who helped us in the negotiations stage can continue their support on areas which they perceive they can help a lot. You are all welcome to continue to be our partners— strong partners—in the implementation stage,” he said.

Meanwhile, international peace and development partners

expressed strong support and optimism on the peace and development roadmap of the administration, lauding the remarkable performance of his administration to resolve peace and security issues during his first month in office.

World Bank country director Mara Warwick backed the government’s call for inclusivity in its pursuit of peace, as they also “look forward to the OPAPP convening us and harmonizing our efforts and strategies to ensure a more effective delivery of service to the communities in conflict-affected areas.”

United Nations resident coordinator Ola Almgren also noted that the “work that is already on the way since the 30th of June constitutes a very promising reboot and continuation of ongoing efforts to resolve the conflicts.”

Dureza assured that the support of donor partners in terms of resources will be reciprocated by the Philippine government.

“We want to put our money where the mouth is. We cannot invite our partners if the government is not giving its part to the pot,” he said.

Fishermen demand probe of Acosta Oil prices reduced

By Sandy Araneta for 6th straight week THE fisherman’s Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) demanded the investigation of Laguna Lake Development Authority General Manager Nereus Acosta over the proliferation of fish pens and reclamation activities in Laguna de Bay during his term.

Pamalakaya said, while Acosta recently ordered the dismantling of vast fish pens in Laguna de Bay, the LLDA recently approved a total of 195 fish pen applicants; 46 of those are individuals, 8 cooperatives and 142 corporations.

During Acosta’s term, pres-

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE. Former senator Heherson Alvarez speaks before the Asia Social Innovation Excellence Awards in Singapore where he was honored for his public service and civil society action over the past 45 years.

ence of fish pens in Laguna de Bay dramatically rose by 73.1 percent with fish pens occupying 13,000 hectares in 2006 and rising to 22,500 during Acosta’s term.

“We smell something fishy about GM Acosta’s stand against fish pens. Why only now? Not one big fish pens were dismantled during his term, it even increased,” Pamalakaya chairperson Fernando Hicap said in a statement.

“Not one erring fish pen operators were prosecuted especially those who uses dummies to illegally acquire hundreds of hectares of fish pen areas, more than what is allowed. We want to know if there is a ‘secret

partnership’ between the LLDA official and private aquaculture firms that acquired large portions of Laguna de Bay,” Hicap added.

“Acosta and other LLDA officials should be charged with gross negligence and incompetence,” Hicap said.

The fisherfolk group also accused Acosta of turning a blind eye on unabated illegal reclamations being done by private companies on large portions of Laguna de Bay. Most of these companies are even guaranteed with entitlements and their reclamation projects supported or protected by some local government units.

By Alena Mae S. Flores OIL prices went down by as much as P0.85 per liter starting Tuesday to reflect the softening of oil prices in the world market.

The oil firms cut the price of kerosene by P0.85 per liter, diesel by P0.75 per liter and gasoline by P0.10 per liter amid the ongoing supply glut in the market.

Among the oil firms that issued advisories were Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., PTT Philippines, Seaoil Philippines, Eastern Petroleum, Phoenix Petroleum, among others.

“Phoenix Petroleum will decrease for the sixth consecutive week the prices of gasoline by P0.10 per liter

and diesel by P0.75 per liter effective 6 a.m. of August 9,” it said.

World oil prices declined in the past several weeks amid worries over global oil supply glut.

The department said reports of rising supplies were combined with weak demand, as holiday driving season in the US comes to an end and that heavy rainfall reduced domestic demand for oil products in China.

US and China are the world’s biggest oil consumers.

Platts, meanwhile noted that the Asian gasoil/diesel market continued to fall due to weak regional demand and less opportunity to trade with the West market, which kept surplus barrels trapped in the region.

Former senator feted for social innovation FORMER senator and climate visionary Heherson Alvarez was conferred the Social Innovation Leadership Award by the organization of Asia’s top marketing executives and professionals.

CMO Asia conferred the award during the Asia Social Innovation Excellence Awards 2016 at the Pan Pacific Marina Square in Singapore over the weekend for his distinguished record in both public service and civil society action.

His record in public service covers 45 years as a constitutional convention delegate, freedom fighter against dictatorship, ambassador, legislator and former Cabinet member under four Philippine presidents.

In the international arena of civil society action, he founded the EarthSavers (hon-

ored as Unesco Artist for Peace) and is the first Asian chairman of the Climate Institute AdvisoryBoard and a founding trustee of the Ocean Security International expanded as a South-South Cooperation Council.

According to Andrew Kelly, CMO Asia’s chief patron and program chairman, the Asia Social Innovation Excellence Awards “are the Asia’s highest recognition of individuals and corporate organizations that have a significant and positive impact on the lives of people.”

Kelly said the Social Innovation Leadership Award is intensely researched, and drawn from a shortlist of individuals who are doing extraordinary work with record achievements. “The shortlist is then reviewed by a jury comprising of senior professionals from across the globe.”

Pacquiao makes 1st privilege speech

By Macon Araneta WORLD boxing champion Senator Manny Pacquiao on Monday delivered his first privilege speech backing the reimposition of capital punishment but was quickly questioned by another neophyte senator, former Justice secretary Leila de Lima.

After delivering his speech, Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III mildly asked how he wanted capital punishment to be executed, but Pacquiao dodged the question and said the manner could be agreed up on later.

But when Sotto pressed for an answer, Pacquiao said suggested musketry or hanging, adding that the latter would probably be cheaper since the executioner could just kick the seat of the convict sentenced to death.

But De Lima took her turn and declared she was strongly and passionately against the death penalty and prodded Pacquiao on why he proposed the restoration of capital punishment in the country. “Was it because you believe it is a deterrent or retribution?” she asked.

Pacquiao argued death penalty is not a deterrent but it would help reduce the commission of heinous crimes and that it is a punishment of the sins committed against God and society.

But De Lima stressed the more effective approach in dealing with heinous crimes would be to enforce the law more effectively.

Pacquiao replied by citing the Bible and said death penalty is allowed in the law of God and it would be better if the public know there is death penalty so they will be warned against perpetrating crimes.

“Death penalty is lawful, moral and sanctioned government action. Having read the Bible on a regular basis, I am convinced that God is not just a God of mercy, but also a God of justice,” said Pacquiao.

“So on the issue of death penalty, I could not help but consult the Bible and I found numerous verses on it,” Pacquiao added.

When De Lima and Senator Francis Pangilinan asked for data to prove that death penalty has helped lower the commission of heinous crimes, Pacquiao could not reply.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, for her part, sought an assurance that the death penalty will not victimize the innocent and will not be discriminatory, such that only the poor went to the gallows.

Sports

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Phelps boosts haul to 19 golds R

IO DE JANEIRO—US swimming legend Michael Phelps extended his record gold medal tally in a day of Olympic drama that saw world records, a first title for Kosovo and a heart-stopping crash.

USA’s Nathan Adrian, USA’s Ryan Held, USA’s Michael Phelps and USA’s Caeleb Dressel pose with their gold medals on the podium of the Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay Final during the swimming event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. AFP

Novak falls; Williams’ doubles dream ends RIO DE JANEIRO—Juan Martin del Potro stunned a tearful Novak Djokovic in an emotional Olympics triumph on Sunday as Venus Williams pondered the end of her four-gold Games odyssey.

Del Potro, the 2009 US Open champion who was pushed to the brink of retirement by a series of wrist injuries, downed the top seed 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/2).

The giant Argentine had also defeated the 12-time major winner in the bronze medal match at the London Olympics in 2012.

Both players embraced at the net and wept at the end of their centre court duel played out in front of a raucous Argentine and Serb crowd.

Del Potro, now ranked at 145 in the world after being number four in 2010, said Sunday’s win was more special than his victory in 2012.

He had his first surgery in 2010 but more followed in 2014 and 2015 when he played just six events.

“This victory is bigger than last time because I know how tough it was to come back from three surgeries,” said the 27-year-old who unleashed more than 40 winners.

“Tonight I played one of the best matches of my career.”

Del Potro started the day by getting stuck in an elevator for 40 minutes at the athletes village where he had to be rescued by the Argentina handball team.

But that inconvenience did not shake the Argentine out of his bighitting stride as he set up a second-round clash with Portugal’s Joao Sousa.

‘Delpo better player’ “Delpo was the better player and he deserved to win. That’s sport,” said world number one Djokovic, whose Olympic singles record is stalled at a bronze from Beijing in 2008.

“It’s very sad and disappointing to go out of the tournament this early but I am glad that a good friend of mine, who has struggled with injuries, has won.”

Meanwhile, four-time gold medallist Venus Williams was

staring at the end of her 16-year, five-Olympics journey.

Williams, 36, and sister Serena suffered their first ever defeat in women’s doubles, a record which boasted 15 successive match wins and golds in Sydney in 2000, Beijing in 2008 and London four years ago.

The 6-3, 6-4 loss to Czech pair Lucie Safarova and Barbora Strycova came just a day after Venus had been knocked out of the singles in what was her first opening round Olympics loss.

Venus, a seven-time Grand Slam title winner and the 2000 Olympic champion, said she and Serena will now focus on the US Open later this month. AFP

Bautista reaches Olivares net finals BETTINA Bautista pulled off a shock straight-set romp over top seed Tracy Llamas in the quarterfinals then scored a walkover win over Blance Lagrisola to advance to the finals of the girls’ 18-and-under division of the Olivarez Cup 2016 presented by Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala at the Olivarez Sports Center in Sucat Monday.

The 15-year-old rising star from Immaculate Conception Academy, unranked in a field of 16, dominated Mariel So in the opener, 6-2, 6-1, then sustained her form to surprise Llamas, 6-1, 6-3, before marching into the finals of the premier division of the annual event as Lagrisola, who earlier struggled past Camille So, 6-2, 2-6, 10-3, withdrew due to foot injury.

Second seed Patricia Velez and Jade Capadocia were disputing the other finals berth at presstime.

Velez, a Davao leg champion of the top ranking junior tournament put up by Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez along with Rep. Eric Olivarez and Dr. Pablo Olivarez as part of the family’s long-time commitment to develop the sport and help in the country’s talent-search, also made it to the semis of the 16-U section, along with Bianca Pica, Miles Vitaliano and Melanie Dizon.

Second seed Macie Carlos of NCR toppled Tiffany Nocos to seal a title showdown with unranked Geanlijah Sagandoy, who stunned top seed Vitaliano in the 14-U category of the event sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and Slazenger as the official ball.

DONATION. Sunrise Events Inc., headed by founder Wilfred Uytengsu, along with pro triathletes and Ironman Asia’s Geoff Meyer visited the Marigondon Elementary School in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu early Monday morning to hand over Sunrise’s donation of P250,000 for the construction of a classroom and purchase of computer equipment as part of its CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) activity.

Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, inspired the United States to victory in the 4x100m freestyle relay before he starts his personal campaign on Monday.

The Olympic swimming battle will also see Russia’s Yuliya Efimova, retrieved from a drug ban, in contention for a medal.

The 31-year-old Phelps—who has now won 19 gold medals— roared with delight and hugged his team-mates after they came home ahead of defending champions France in silver, with Australia third.

It was a fairytale moment for Phelps, who came out of retirement for one last crack at the Olympics.

He will be in the 200m butterfly heats on Monday having seen the relay display cap a superb night of swimming with three world records broken.

Katie Ledecky obliterated her own world best in the 400m freestyle on her way to gold.

The 19-year-old touched the wall in 3min 56.46sec, taking nearly two seconds off her previous record.

Ledecky is bidding to become the first Olympian since Debbie Meyer in 1968 to win the 200m, 400m and 800m free in the same Games.

‘It’s surreal, crazy’ Britain’s Adam Peaty took more than 1.5sec off the men’s 100m breaststroke world record after Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom had also broken the record in the women’s race.

“It’s surreal. It was crazy. It’s amazing and I probably won’t be

able to sleep tonight,” Peaty said.

The spellbinding action in the pool brought the curtain down on an intense day of sport with 14 gold medals shared out.

Among the most popular winners was the hard-as-nails judoka Majlinda Kelmendi from Kosovo, taking part in its first Games after only gaining Olympic status in 2014.

The 25-year-old sank to her knees in tears after out-grappling Italy’s Odette Giuffrida to win by yuko in the women’s 52kg final.

Kosovo is the 100th country to win an Olympic gold medal.

“I have always wanted to show the world that Kosovo is not just a country that has gone through war,” Kelmendi beamed.

“We have survived a war.

There are still kids who don’t know if their parents are alive, don’t have anything to eat or books to go to school. So the fact of becoming Olympic champion is just huge for all of us.”

Tennis victims The day began with strong winds wreaking havoc at several Olympic venues.

The entire day of rowing was called off after gusts churned waters making it impossible to row.

Strong winds also delayed the tennis, which saw a slew of upsets when action resumed.

The biggest casualty was world number one Novak Djokovic, bounced out 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/2) in the opening round of the men’s singles by Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro.

It was an unexpected win for del Potro, who has struggled with wrist injuries in recent years. AFP

Croatia stuns Spain; Brazilians fall short RIO DE JANEIRO —Spain’s bid for a third consecutive trip to the Olympic men’s basketball finals suffered a severe setback on Sunday, while hosts Brazil took hope from a failed rally against Lithuania.

Croatia upset second-ranked Spain 72-70 as Dario Saric blocked Pau Gasol’s game-tying attempt at the final buzzer and Lithuania held off Brazil 82-76 as Group B preliminary round play began.

There was no rally in the other opener as Argentina ripped Nigeria 94-66 behind Facundo Campazzo’s game high of 19 points and five assists and Luis Scola’s 18 points and game-high eight rebounds.

Croatia and Spain exchanged leads six times in the final minutes, the last time coming when Krunoslav Simon stole the ball from Sergio Rodriguez and made a layup to put Croatia ahead 69-67.

Simon added two free throws to stretch the margin, Nikola Mirotic answered with a 3-pointer for Spain and Saric added a free throw to create the final margin.

However, Saric’s most telling impact was still to come

when the Philadelphia 76ers bound power forward blocked two-time NBA champion Gasol’s last-ditch effort.

“It’s always nice to block a big player, a big name in Euro basketball like Pau Gasol,” Saric said.

“This is the cherry on the cake, my block, because this team deserved this win because this team fights all the game.”

Spain had been talking of a third chance against the American collection of NBA stars in the Rio final. Now they might be in a fight to be one of four advancing from the group.

“We can’t even dare to make those kind of thoughts,” Spain coach Sergio Scariolo said. “We have to win the next game. Period.

Then we can think of the third one.”

Gasol had 26 points and nine rebounds while Mirotic added 19 points for Spain.

“I think we are the best in difficult situations like the one we’re in now,” Mirotic said.

Bojan Bogdanovic, a guard for the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets, led Croatia with 23 points. Saric had five points, seven rebounds and five assists. AFP

China protests misaligned 5 stars on flag BEIJING—Most of the five stars on the Chinese flags being used at medal ceremonies at the Rio Olympics are misaligned, officials said, prompting a diplomatic protest and online fury.

Chinese internet users were quick to detect a “plot” against the world’s

most populous country, which came second in the medals table at London 2012, and branded the Brazilian organisers the “worst ever”.

The Chinese flag features one large star—representing the Communist Party—half surrounded by four smaller stars

tilted to point toward the centre of the bigger one.

But the small stars on the Rio flags, including the one lifted by Chinese fencer Lei Sheng at the opening ceremony Friday, all point upwards.

The official design is intended to symbolises the four classes -- work-

ers, farmers, urban petty bourgeoisie, and national bourgeoisie, as defined

by Mao Zedong in a 1949 book—supporting the Communist leadership.

China’s consulategeneral in Rio de Janeiro said in a social media posting Monday that it had made a formal com-

plaint to the Brazilian organising committee.

The organizers apologized for the mistake and will contact the manufacturer to correct it, it added, denying reports that the flag maker was a Chinese firm.

But Chinese internet users were unmollified.

The Chinese national flag is seen on a flagpole in Beijing. AFP

Pro boxer Ruenrong scores decision triumph LOTTO RESULTS

By Ronnie Nathanielsz THE biggest storyline on Day 2 of the Olympic boxing tournament was former IBF flyweight champion Amnat Ruenroeng scoring a decision victory against Argentina’s Ignacio Perrin in the men’s lightweight division (60kg) to avoid the embarrassment of an early exit similar to that suffered by rugged profes-

sional middleweight contender Hassan N’Dam, who suffered that ignominious fate Monday.

Looking to avoid the fate of fellow pro Hassan N’Dam in his lightweight bout, Ruenroeng got his Olympic stint off to what was regarded as “an impressive start, although he engaged in plenty of clinching, clutching and wrestling.”

But ringside reports from

Rio said Ruenroeng, who was knocked out in the 4th round of a world title rematch with the Philippines’ Johnreil Casimero used an effective jab and straight right hand against the aggressive Perrin.

The Argentine grew more frustrated in Round 2 as he constantly fell short with his punches and in a clinch, Perrin tossed Ruenroeng to the canvas and was

cautioned by the referee.

Ruenroeng was reportedly content to counter and play spoiler.

The best action of Round 3 came when both men tackled each other to the mat.

Ruenroeng was clearly the better ring general and he impressively never allowed Perrin to find a rhythm. It was a typical Ruenroeng win.

6/55 00-00-00-00-00-00 6/45 00-00-00-00-00-00 4 DIGITS 0-0-0-0 3 DIGITS 0-0-0 2 EZ2 0-0

P0 M+ P0 M

Riera U. Mallari, Editor Reuel Vidal, Assistant Editor sports@thestandard.com.ph sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

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Sports

Pangilinan steps down; Panlilio voted cage chief

By Peter Atencio

A

L PANLILIO, a top executive of the Manila Electric Company, said he will have big shoes to fill in after he was formally elected Monday as the new president of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.

In succeeding former SBP chief Manny V. Pangilinan, who has been around for 10 years, Panlilio said being the head of the country’s governing body will be a tough act to follow.

“The programs are solid and will remain intact. And we will push through with these programs,” said Panlilio, currently the senior vice president of Meralco.

Panlilio added that he has inherited a program focused on the development of the Gilas Pilipinas national men’s basketball

team, the 3x3 tournament, grassroots development and women’s basketball.

The only aspect he can add, according to Panlilio, is the welfare and development of the coaches and referees.

“We will continue to work with the regional directors, making sure that they will be able to implement the programs that we have put in place,” said Panlilio.

He was voted into as the new SBP chief by a 25-man board of trustees, which were earlier

elected in the SBP Congress at the Dusit Hotel in Makati.

He heads the MVP Sports Foundation, with Sen. Sonny Angara, who was named as SBP chairman, and former Representative Robbie Puno, who is the new vice chairman.

Panlilio is one of four representatives from the professional sector, aside from PBA chairman Robert Non, league vice chairman Erick Arejola and Commissioner Chito Narvasa.

“It has been a difficult decision for me to retire from a sport I deeply care about,” said Pangilinan, who, however, will still be around after he was named Chairman Emeritus in proceedings witnessed by Philippine Olympic Committee Representative Atty.

Ramon Malinao.

SBP executive director Sonny Barrios, who is expected to keep

his post, feels the organization won’t see any changes in terms of support, financial or otherwise.

Pangilinan, according to Barrios, will still be around to provide support to SBP’s programs.

“Ang SBP kasi talaga namang mahal ni MVP. You don’t push him to love basketball. Kami nga, we have to keep up with him,” said Barrios.

During the congress, University Athletic Association of the Philippines board representative Ronulado Dizer, Joe Lipa of the Philippine Collegiate Champions League, Paul Supan of the NCAA and Xavi Nunag of the National Basketball Training Center were voted to represent the school sector.

Melanie Florentino of the Inter-scholastic Athletic Association will also be part of the school sector.

The commercial sector named Ricky Palou, Puno (Filsports basketball Association) and Jobin Uy. For Area 1, there’s Joey Guillermo Jr., Bernardino Bermudez, and Crispulo Onrubia, while Virgilio Cortez and Rey Bautista represent Area 2.

Area 3 has Benjo Viola and Ramoncito Fernandez, while Enrico Navarro and Fr. Joseph Haw were elected from Area 4.

Area 5 will have Glenn Escandor (Duterte Basketball League) and Stephen Dacoco as representatives in the board, while Monica Jorge was elected to represent the women’s sector.

There is a push for the the continuation of the Gilas Pilipinas program and the participation of the country in international events, particularly the 2019 World Cup and the 2020 Olympics.

Lions gun for sweep of 1st round Games today

(The Arena, San Juan) 10 a.m.- Jose Rizal vs San Beda (jrs) 12 nn.- Letran vs Mapua (jrs) 2 p.m.- Jose Rizal vs San Beda (srs) 4 p.m.- Letran vs Mapua (srs)

SAN Beda College goes for a first-round sweep as it tangles with a skidding Jose Rizal University even as reigning titlist Letran and Mapua clash for solo fourth spot today in the 92nd National Collegiate Athletic Association senior basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan City.

The Lions overcame the San Sebastian Stags, 87-77, Friday to extend their undefeated run to eight and another victory in their 2 p.m. duel with the Bombers would complete the former a ninegame sweep of the first round.

San Beda coach Jamike Jarin, however, voiced his concern over playing reckless in their last game, wherein his team turned the ball over a whopping 32 times.

“It’s one problem we need to address on,” said Jarin.

The Bombers, one of the teams tipped to challenge for the title, continued to disappoint after absorbing their fifth defeat against three wins at the hands of the Arellano University Chiefs, 69-89, Friday.

The Knights and Cardinals, who are at joint No. 4 with 5-3 slates, for their part, face off at 4 p.m. with the winner staying inside the magic four.

Letran is looking to make up for a heartbreaking 7275 defeat to Lyceum of the Philippines University, while Mapua is seeking a bounceback from an embarrassing 51-71 rout it suffered at the hands of Perpetual Help both Friday.

The Cardinals will remain without their leader CJ Isit, who will miss his third consecutive game due to an injured finger.

For Letran, it will need to find strong support outside the prolific Rey Nambatac to regain the optimism it lost following its last defeat.

“We need to play as a team and be consistent from start to finish,” said Napa.

The Philippines’ silver medallist Hidilyn Diaz (left) is joined by Tawain’s gold medallist Hsu Shu-Ching (center) and South Korea’s bronze medallist Yoon Jin Hee after the women’s 53kg weightlifting event at the Rio 2016 Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro. AFP

Hotshots get fresh PBA start with new import

By Jeric Lopez GETTING lost in all the talk on the concluded All-Star Weekend was the drastic import change that Star made in the 2016 Governors’ Cup of the Philippine Basketball Association.

With a heavy heart, the Hotshots decided to part ways with resident import for four years, Marqus Blakely, who led the team to two championships (2013 and 2014) in this conference and won himself a Best Import award in his run as well.

In his place, NBA D-League veteran Joel Wright steps in to try and salvage the Hotshots’ campaign in this season-ending tournament.

This is after Star, despite a talented-loaded line-up, continues to play sub-par, only toting a 1-3 card thus far and is way below in the team standings.

Known as of one of the best imports in the league in the last couple of years, Blakely wasn’t able to get going this time around as his numbers went noticeably down compared to his previous stints and Star’s record and lethargic start to the conference forced the team management to look elsewhere for a different direction.

With Blakely gone now, this will mark a new chapter for Star, who for the first time, will not have its longtime import around for this third conference since he started playing for the team in 2012.

It wasn’t exactly the easiest decision for Star’s management as Blakely has been a member of the team’s stable.

Moreover, parting ways with the import that they’re used to playing and bonding was quite emotional for the Hotshots, who had a get-together in Blakely’s last night in Manila to show each other moral support.

Wright is well aware that his team has a lot of catching up to do if it wants to make the top eight and enter the quarterfinals.

He already went to work right away and practiced with Star over the weekend. He will have a couple more days to accustom himself and his play to the team’s system.

The fresh reinforcement was also in attendance in the All-Star Game last Sunday to observe and lend support to his teammates, James Yap, Marc Pingris and Mark Barroca, who participated.

Wright will make his debut for Star this Friday when his new team plays another struggling team in NLEX.

P5M, house and lot await Olympic silver medalist Diaz RIO Olympic Games silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz stands to receive P5 million from the Philippine government and a house and lot from the private sector for bagging the silver medal in the women’s 53kg weightlifting with a total of 200-kg lift at the Rio Olympic Games on Sunday.

The 25-year-old pride of Zamboanga City will receive the cash windfall from the government, according to Philip-

IRONMAN 70.3.

Model, actor and triathlete Matteo Guidicelli passes through Newtown Boulevard at Megaworld’s The Mactan Newtown after making the shift from swimming to biking during the 2016 Asia Pacific 70.3 Ironman held in Cebu.

The Mactan Newtown, the first and only vibrant township with its own beachfront in Cebu, served as one of the transition areas during the 2016 Asia Pacific 70.3 Ironman held in Lapu-Lapu City.

The 30-hectare development of the property giant Megaworld is now experiencing a construction boom that will soon pave the way for unparalleled panorama of island life in the Visayas.

pine Sports Commission chairman William Ramirez.

President Rodrigo Duterte will consider giving her a heroine’s welcome in Malacanang when she comes back, according to Ramirez, who broke the news to the President.

“She will get the P5 million that’s in accordance with the law.

But President Duterte has other things in mind. We will discuss this,” said Ramirez.

Plans to buy land, build a house

for her family and help kids that she is training to become weightlifters are also in Diaz’s mind.

“Inisip ko na kailangan ko ng pera para makapagpatayo ng bahay, makabili na lupa at matulungan ang mga batang gusto matuto dito,” added Diaz, who hours later, received news that developer 8990 Deca Homes is giving her a house and lot for her accomplishment.

Diaz’s silver ended the country’s 20-year Olympic medal

drought as she became the first ever female medalist from the Philippines in the games. It was also the first medal for the Philippines outside of boxing since 1936.

The last time the country won a medal in the games was in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics courtesy of boxer Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco, who earned a silver.

“Talagang grateful ako, at nagawa ko. Hindi ko akalaing ma-surpass ko iyung pressure na

nandoon ka sa harap,” said Diaz in a radio interview.

“Lord, thank you,” said Diaz as she left the stage with her coaches inside the Pavilion of Riocentro in Rio de Janeiro.

Diaz has shifted to a lower weight clash after the London Olympics, from 58 kg to 53kg this time around.

She made it to Rio after winning a bronze medalist in the 2015 World Weightlifting Championships. Peter Atencio

Bayron seeks 2nd straight win IN-FORM Jay Bayron looms as the top favorite as he guns for a second straight victory in as many weeks as he leads the chase in the ICTSI Riviera Classic beginning Wednesday at Riviera’s Langer course in Silang, Cavite.

Bayron held off Malaysian Gavin Green in a thrilling backside duel at Wack Wack’s East course to snare the Aboitiz Invitational crown last weekend, making him the player to watch in the upcoming 72-hole P2 million championship at one of the country’s toughest courses.

“I feel good and I hope to keep my form,” said Bayron. “But I expect a tough challenge from the rest, especially on a difficult course like Langer.”

The par-71 layout is indeed expected to provide a different kind of challenge for the competing

75-player field with hazards and ravines lurking almost on every hole, requiring conservative play and mental toughness.

That makes the battle for the top P270,000 wide open with Tony Lascuña, joint fourth at Wack Wack, also resuming his quest for a fifth leg win in the circuit sponsored by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. “It will be anybody’s race at Riviera for sure. Jay is playing solid and the rest also want to score a win,” said Lascuña, who routed the field at Luisita then strung up three straight wins at Eagle Ridge, Forest Hills and Bacolod.

Clyde Mondilla, back-to-back winner at Eastridge and Calatagan, is also expected to bounce back after withdrawing in the second round at Wack Wack due to back injury.

GDP likely grew 7% in 2nd quarter

B3

Business

Pagcor rejects new contract of PhilWeb

By Norman P. Aquino and Cecilia Yap gambling at his first cabinet meeting.

P

HILWEB Corp., which operates and manages electronic casinos owned by the Philippine gaming regulator, saw its shares tumble to a 22-month low after the agency said it won’t renew the company’s contract.

“We won’t cancel it but we won’t renew it,” Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. chief executive Andrea Domingo said in a mobile-phone message on Monday. The contract expires Aug. 10, she said.

The company’s shares fell 43.1 percent to P5.13 Monday, the lowest close since October 2014. The Philippine Stock Exchange Index rose 0.3 percent. PhilWeb President Dennis Valdes didn’t immediately respond to a call and mobile-phone message seeking comments.

PhilWeb shares have plunged more than 70 percent since the start of July, after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered a stop to online

IN BRIEF Bank officers face estafa

STATE-RUN Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp., the receiver of closed banks, said Monday it filed syndicated estafa charges with the Justice Department against the former directors, officers, employees and consultants of the closed Banco Filipino Savings and Mortgage Bank that resulted in estimated losses of about P669.6 million to the bank.

PDIC said charged with committing syndicated estafa in violation of Presidential Decree 1689 were Albert Aguirre (former vice chairman), Teodoro Arcenas (former chairman and president), and 31 other former officers, employees and consultants of Banco Filipino.

The complaint filed on July 5, 2016 is scheduled for initial hearing by the DoJ Task Force on Financial Fraud. Banco Filipino is a 62-unit bank ordered closed by the Monetary Board of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and placed under receivership of PDIC on March 17, 2011.

PDIC alleged that the respondents, with abuse of confidence as bank directors/officers, conspired and misappropriated Banco Filipino funds solicited from the depositing public approximating P669.6 million to pay for their travels abroad from January 2000 to July 2003.

“The syndicated estafa led to bank losses.

Even after the bank was ordered closed on March 17, 2011, respondents failed to return the amount,” PDIC said. Julito G. Rada

Pure Foods nets P2.5b

SAN Miguel Pure Foods Company Inc., the food manufacturing unit of conglomerate San Miguel Corp., said Monday net income rose 37 percent in the first half to P2.5 billion from a year ago, driven by branded valueadded and agro-industrial businesses.

Consolidated sales revenues increased 5 percent to P53.2 billion, while operating income went up by 31 percent to P3.6 billion.

The group’s agro-industrial business, which consists of feeds, poultry and Monterey fresh meats, posted combined revenues of P37.1 billion, up by 8 percent from the same period last year.

Branded value-added business posted an 8-percent growth to P12.1 billion on higher volumes from dairy, spreads, processed meats and biscuits, coupled with improved efficiencies and lower material prices.

Meanwhile, canned tuna maker Century Pacific Foods Inc. said first-half net income grew 46 percent to P1.36 billion, buoyed by robust demand for branded food products, subdued prices of key raw materials and increased contribution from higher margin segments. Jenniffer B. Austria

LRT to have free Wi-Fi

GLOBE Telecom Inc. said Monday it will provide free Wi-Fi services to all 20 Light Rail Transit Line 1 stations to address growing customer demand for constant connectivity.

Under an agreement signed by Globe and the Light Rail Manila Corp., the operator of LRT Line 1, the Ayala-led telco provider agreed to provide Wi-Fi services that would be accessible to LRT 1 passengers and employees.

The agreement is expected to benefit around 400,000 passengers daily.

Globe senior vice president for program governance, network technical Joel Agustin said the company would also provide fiber optic cable system that would cover the length of the entire LRT 1 and cover all LRT stations and LRMC’s depot in Pasay City.

Darwin G. Amojelar

PhilWeb on Sunday said it might need to shut down operations including 286 so-called e-games outlets if its contract with the government gambling regulator was canceled or not renewed.

PhilWeb has been managing the gaming regulator’s e-games network for the past 14 years, remitting P14 billion ($298 million) to the agency for its share of the revenue from the operations, according to the company.

The company has said it doesn’t operate online gaming websites. PhilWeb’s electronic games can’t be accessed by office or home computers and its members-only players must be physically present at the cafes to play, it said.

PhilWeb chairman Roberto Ongpin, who served as trade minister to the late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos, resigned last week after Duterte named him among those he’s targeting for alleged political connections.

Ongpin quit his job “to save the company,” Valdes said in a statement on Sunday.

PhilWeb said in a statement it sent a letter requesting for a meeting with Domingo, the Pagcor chair, to clarify the situation.

“PhilWeb is merely a software provider to

Pagcor for its network of e-Games outlets.

We are not online gaming. Our software cannot be played from homes or offices,” said Valdes.

Valdes said each e-Games outlet was owned by an individual entrepreneur whose gaming license was issued by Pagcor directly to them. Each e-Games outlet therefore pays all taxes, as does PhilWeb itself.

“The e-Games network contributed a total of P2.1 billion to Pagcor in 2015, and over P14 billion in the past 14 years,” he said.

“We feel that President Duterte may have been misinformed,” said Valdes. “Thus, we are seeking the meeting with Chairperson Domingo so that we may fully explain our side. As a publicly listed company on the Philippine Stock Exchange, our records are fully open to public scrutiny and are available for a full investigation at any time.”

“I sincerely hope that the situation can be clarified. Over 5,000 employees work in the e-Games outlets and it would be heartbreaking to see these people’s livelihoods affected. There are also over 1,500 stockholders in PhilWeb and many of these mom-andpop investors cannot afford to have their savings wiped out overnight,” Valdes said.

Bloomberg

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

B1

Petron’s net income soars 55% to P5.3b

By Alena Mae S. Flores OIL distributor Petron Corp. said net income in the first half jumped 55 percent to P5.3 billion from P3.4 billion a year ago, on higher sales volume which offset lower petroleum prices.

Petron said consolidated sales revenues dropped 13 percent in January to June to P161.9 billion from P186.1 billion a year earlier, as Dubai crude price softened to $36.80 per barrel from $56.59 a barrel last year.

Petron said in a statement despite weaker oil prices and reduced product “cracks,” or the differential between the prices of crude oil and finished products, margins were sustained by its $2-billion Bataan refinery upgrade which substantially increased production of higher value white products and petrochemicals.

Petron’s operating income increased 29 percent to P11.5 billion from last year’s P8.9 billion.

“Petron continues to deliver strong results amid the

prolonged slump in oil prices.

This is a direct effect of much improved operational productivity and the expansion of our markets,” Petron president Ramon Ang said.

“We are well-positioned to sustain our performance throughout the year,” Ang said.

Petron attributed the strong performance to a surge in sales volumes supported by aggressive network expansion, improved production and cost efficiencies and a deeper focus on customer programs.

The company said consolidated sales volumes in the Philippines and Malaysia increased 9 percent to 51.8 million barrels in the first six months from 47.4 million barrels sold in the same period in 2015.

Petron saw robust growth across major businesses including retail, industrial, LPG and lubricants in both countries.

Industrial sales grew 14 percent in the Philippines alone with increased participation in key industries such as aviation and power-generation.

B2

Business

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016 extrastory2000@gmail.com

GT Capital, SBC hike profits try’s biggest banks in terms of assets, said in a statement Monday net interest income grew 28 percent, which offset a P1.4-billion decrease in securities trading gains from a high of P3 billion in the first half of 2015 to P1.6 billion this year.

“We are pleased with the quality of our earnings because it is coming from recurring income and core businesses. Growth has been balanced with both wholesale and retail banking registering encouraging results,” president and chief executive Alfonso Salcedo Jr. said in a statement.

“With the P37-billion equity investment by The Bank of TokyoMitsubishi UFJ, Ltd. in Security Bank in April 2016, we now have P94 billion in capital to fuel the bank’s expansion plans. Our me-

By Jenniffer B. Austria

G

T Capital Holdings Inc., the listed holding company of billionaire George Ty, reported a 62-percent increase in first half net income to P9.1 billion, boosted by stronger revenues from automotive and real estate units, as well as a one-time gain from the sale of a 56-percent stake in power generation unit Global Business Power Corp.

Minus one non-recurring income amounting to P2.9 billion, GT Capital’s first half net income was still up 16 percent to P6.21 billion from P5.35 billion a year.

First-half consolidated jumped 40 percent to P102.4 billion from

P73.1 billion in 2015.

Security Bank Corp., meanwhile, said net income in the first half rose 4 percent to P4.9 billion year-on-year, driven mainly by higher net interest income.

Security Bank, among the coun-

dium-term objective is to grow our way back to market-leading return on shareholders’ equity,” Salcedo said.

GT Capital said the revenue growth came from an increase in the combined automotive sales of Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. and Toyota Manila Bay Corp. to P80.3 billion from P56.5 billion, higher combined sales of Federal Land and Property Company of Friends Inc. to P6.27 billion from P3.53 billion and higher equity in net income of associates totaling P4.95 billion from P2.75 billion.

“Our strong performance for the first half of the year mirrors the country’s macro economy. We had a busy first half in 2016; consolidating our life and non-life insurance businesses, merging two key

Toyota dealerships, diversifying our power generation assets into a strategic investment into MPIC... and more recently, increasing to a majority stake our investment in the affordable housing sector,” GT Capital president Carmelo Maria Luza Bautista said.

“All these planned initiatives further strengthen GT Capital’s strategic position moving forward,” he said.

Security Bank’s net income in the second quarter rose 42 percent year-on-year to P1.85 billion. The profit was driven by the 34-percent year-on-year increase in net interest income to P3.9 billion, a 41-percent rise in service charges, fees and commissions, and a three-fold increase in foreign exchange income.

THE STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 2016

STOCKS

Open

High

Low

Close

Volume Value

Net Foreign Buying/Selling

AG FINANCE ASIA UNITED BANK PH ISLANDS BDO LEASING BDO UNIBANK BRIGHT KINDLE CHINABANK COL FINANCIAL EAST WEST BANK FILIPINO FUND FIRST ABACUS MANULIFE MEDCO HLDG METROBANK NTL REINSURANCE PB BANK PBCOM PHIL NATL BANK PHIL STOCK EXCH PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK SUN LIFE UNION BANK

3.45 47.65 102 4 115 1.65 38.15 16.7 20 6.94 0.7 585 0.65 91.7 0.91 14.7 25 63.1 277.2 95.15 32.05 224 1,410 73

3.66 47.75 102.7 4 116.8 1.65 39 16.8 20.7 6.94 0.7 590 0.68 94 0.91 14.98 25.2 63.1 280 101.1 32.25 224.8 1,410 73.8

3.4 47.15 99.5 4 114.9 1.56 38.15 15.9 20 6.94 0.65 585 0.64 91.7 0.89 14.7 24.6 62.7 277 95 31.85 215.8 1,410 72.95

FINANCIALS 3.63 47.75 102 4 115.5 1.56 38.25 16.3 20.45 6.94 0.65 590 0.66 93.95 0.89 14.7 24.6 62.95 280 101.1 32.2 220 1,410 73.8

53,000 22,500 2,991,620 3,000 1,505,950 47,000 144,400 227,600 248,400 600 27,000 100 2,902,000 2,357,510 159,000 23,200 5,700 33,610 5,910 1,700 308,700 1,080,630 280 159,480

185,400 1,071,600 304,683,659 12,000 174,075,502 74,530 5,569,615 3,710,524 5,077,015 4,164 18,250 58,600 1,907,030 219,908,495 143,030 341,068 141,220 2,114,826.50 1,650,226 165,788 9,904,285 236,532,622 394,800 11,698,654

1,043,110 43,025,017 -12,000 10,902,702 -332,885 934,990 -2,727,515 -656,000 261,078.50 9,000 -294,000 -264,762.50 844,854 -23,290.00 23,911,736 21,150 338,916.50

ABOITIZ POWER AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT ALSONS CONS ASIABEST GROUP CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CIRTEK HLDG CNTRL AZUCARERA CONCEPCION CONCRETE A CROWN ASIA DAVINCI CAPITAL DEL MONTE DNL INDUS EEI CORP EMPERADOR ENERGY DEVT EUROMED FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG GINEBRA HOLCIM INTEGRATED MICR IONICS JOLLIBEE LMG CHEMICALS MABUHAY VINYL MACAY HLDG MANILA WATER MAXS GROUP MEGAWIDE MERALCO MG HLDG PEPSI COLA PETRON PHIL H2O PHINMA PHX PETROLEUM PHX SEMICNDCTR PRYCE CORP PUREFOODS RFM CORP ROXAS AND CO SPLASH CORP SWIFT FOODS TA OIL TKC METALS UNIV ROBINA VICTORIAS VITARICH VULCAN INDL

45.7 3.34 0.87 1.98 12.56 12.3 18.12 22.5 180 58 160 2.22 5.98 12.82 10.58 9.26 7.78 5.86 1.73 25 71 12.1 16.4 5.69 2.4 255 2.07 4.2 29 26.35 31.5 10.8 324.8 0.27 3.5 10.72 3.1 11.66 6.03 1.66 3.35 217 4.27 2.22 3.04 0.163 2.39 1.9 203.8 4.77 1.55 1.25

46 3.5 0.87 1.98 12.56 12.3 18.2 22.5 180 58 160 2.26 6.14 12.88 10.94 9.5 7.85 5.92 1.87 25.2 71.8 12.1 16.5 5.7 2.47 256.4 2.07 4.2 30.2 26.4 33.5 11.04 325 0.27 3.53 10.78 3.49 11.66 6.09 1.69 3.43 217 4.28 2.22 3.05 0.169 2.39 1.97 204.4 4.77 1.64 1.31

45.55 3.34 0.85 1.92 12.38 12 17.96 22.2 180 57 160 2.22 5.9 12.68 10.58 9.26 7.68 5.85 1.73 24.9 70.85 12.1 16.06 5.65 2.37 254.4 2.07 4.13 29 26 31.5 10.48 323.8 0.265 3.48 10.5 3.09 11.66 6.03 1.65 3.24 215 4.25 2.22 3.04 0.163 2.36 1.9 202 4.35 1.55 1.24

INDUSTRIAL 45.6 3.44 0.86 1.95 12.56 12 18.04 22.4 180 58 160 2.22 6.05 12.7 10.9 9.46 7.69 5.9 1.87 24.95 71.7 12.1 16.3 5.7 2.37 255 2.07 4.2 29.8 26.05 32.9 10.96 324.4 0.265 3.51 10.68 3.49 11.66 6.08 1.65 3.41 215 4.26 2.22 3.05 0.168 2.37 1.9 204 4.69 1.57 1.29

7,088,400 1,443,000 978,000 1,766,000 300 4,246,200 1,524,700 8,256,400 10 9,010 80 750,000 154,500 11,200 15,081,400 150,800 646,100 19,336,100 5,000 1,103,600 166,820 2,500 93,500 331,500 2,499,000 283,210 4,000 31,000 10,200 337,900 2,285,200 16,100,800 315,290 90,000 719,000 3,008,900 62,000 3,400 506,500 268,000 416,000 1,780 654,000 16,000 355,000 8,380,000 505,000 698,000 686,790 27,000 27,852,000 374,000

323,075,265 4,933,580 837,930 3,440,130 3,750 51,365,880 27,582,978 185,036,610 1,800 522,380 12,800 1,669,010 928,839 142,390 163,426,756 1,419,353 4,989,547 114,021,904 8,820 27,554,975 11,922,606.50 30,250 1,517,998 1,880,791 5,988,800 72,248,698 8,280 129,870 304,945 8,806,750 74,898,765 171,271,950 102,233,826 24,000 2,514,690 32,128,370 192,550 39,644 3,069,548 443,930 1,391,820 383,920 2,786,280 35,520 1,080,200 1,401,820 1,201,380 1,344,710 139,848,362 123,840 44,190,740 475,300

-186,883,880 -169,500 847,820 -10,577,516 -12,954,522 367,520 11,960 16,484 -37,077,404 1,218,115 51,645,351 1,454,845 5,058,912 904,220 -80,310 -360,000 -12,574,512 -8,140 -5,228,445 -3,244,275 87,227,432 69,873,220 -60,720 2,272,390 -1,280,439 693,900 -65,100 81,130 -407,360 -43,940 21,431,862 -4,070,630 -

ABACORE CAPITAL ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANGLO PHIL HLDG ANSCOR 6.47 ATN HLDG A ATN HLDG B AYALA CORP COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV FJ PRINCE A 6.75 FORUM PACIFIC GT CAPITAL 1,600 JG SUMMIT82.25 JOLLIVILLE HLDG KEPPEL HLDG B LODESTAR 0.79 LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP 15.86 METRO PAC INV PACIFICA 0.038 PRIME MEDIA PRIME ORION REPUBLIC GLASS SAN MIGUEL CORP SM INVESTMENTS SOLID GROUP TOP FRONTIER UNIOIL HLDG WELLEX INDUS ZEUS HLDG0.295

0.415 76.35 16 1.29 6.47 0.405 0.41 898 8.31 13.02 7 6.8 0.222 1,620 84.5 4.05 5.82 0.79 7.66 15.98 7.39 0.038 1.23 1.91 2.58 82.1 678 1.29 197 0.32 0.203 0.3

0.415 76.35 16.22 1.29 6.47 0.425 0.425 900 8.81 13.02 7.1 6.7 0.23 1,572 81.5 4.05 5.82 0.78 7.7 15.86 7.44 0.036 1.23 1.93 2.73 82.5 685 1.29 200 0.32 0.206 0.295

HOLDING FIRMS 0.39 0.4 74.85 75.2 15.98 16.2 1.26 1.26 6.47 2,500 0.405 0.41 0.4 0.425 890 898 8.3 8.8 12.9 13 6.98 6.99 6.7 91,200 0.222 0.23 1,610 116,420 84.5 1,213,640 4.05 4.05 5.82 5.82 0.78 24,000 7.54 7.7 15.98 1,503,100 7.3 7.44 0.037 28,900,000 1.22 1.22 1.91 1.93 2.5 2.73 81.9 82.5 677 680 1.25 1.27 197 200 0.315 0.32 0.203 0.206 0.3 440,000

540,000 2,126,970 2,053,600 16,000 16,175 15,520,000 1,790,000 200,060 14,497,200 6,760,400 1,168,200 614,368 50,000 187,558,080 101,240,824 20,000 100 18,830 1,501,100 23,953,228 22,599,100 1,073,100 69,000 77,000 67,000 122,080 219,780 251,000 8,310 270,000 170,000 129,950

215,600 160,014,205.50 33,160,196 20,350 6,418,650 738,500 179,493,005 126,284,571 87,856,156 8,219,074 11,180 -2,930,785 3,568,760 81,000 582 11,475,534 9,007,940 166,888,456 84,750 147,090 170,460 10,057,472 149,476,895 314,670 1,658,665 86,250 34,650 -

-55,184,195 -9,484,854 -

0.28 8 1.3 6.97 2.68 40.5 3.17 5.06 0.65 1.03 1.05 0.174 0.66 59 0.82 1.99 1.08 5.39 0.14 0.29 0.48 16.2 39 32.8 1.73 3.35 30

PROPERLTY 0.275 0.275 8.08 230,700 1.33 11,614,000 6.97 6.97 2.55 2.66 39.55 40.2 3.23 1,423,000 5.03 5.03 0.62 0.63 1.03 1.03 1.02 1.05 0.166 0.17 0.66 10,127,000 57.95 58.3 0.8 0.82 1.96 1.97 1.05 1.08 5.18 5.38 0.136 0.137 0.26 0.29 0.47 0.47 14.6 15.9 38.5 38.8 32.1 32.5 1.79 471,000 3.27 3.35 29.6 29.9

250,000 1,864,606 15,494,950 500 6,933,000 5,161,300 4,551,980 183,500 5,089,000 27,000 89,000 37,060,000 6,756,140 825,770 903,000 5,948,000 6,913,000 61,229,500 26,310,000 40,000 470,000 529,000 2,600 2,192,400 840,850 228,000 11,896,900

68,900 1,007,102.00 54,590 3,485 18,343,680 207,275,145 969,430 928,450 3,239,040 27,810 91,050 6,278,450 -264,000 48,254,618 739,640 11,700,410 7,378,460 325,699,276 3,618,760 10,700 221,500 8,105,854 100,910 71,271,410 759,530 354,935,650

ARTHALAND CORP 8990 HLDG 8.06 A BROWN 1.3 ANCHOR LAND ARANETA PROP AYALA LAND BELLE CORP 3.19 CEBU HLDG CENTURY PROP CITY AND LAND CITYLAND DEVT CROWN EQUITIES CYBER BAY 0.66 DOUBLEDRAGON EMPIRE EAST FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED PHIL ESTATES PHIL REALTY PRIMEX CORP PTFC REDEV CORP ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL 1.79 SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG

0.28 8.19 1.37 6.97 2.58 40.5 3.23 5.03 0.65 1.03 1.02 0.174 0.68 57.95 0.8 1.96 1.06 5.19 0.137 0.26 0.48 15.1 38.6 32.5 1.8 3.35 29.9

STOCKS

Open

High

Low

Close

Volume Value

Net Foreign Buying/Selling

STA LUCIA LAND 0.94 SUNTRUST HOME 1.03 VISTA LAND 6.02

0.94 1.06 6.18

0.92 1.03 5.99

0.93 1.05 6

306,000 385,000 2,918,900

282,570 405,170 17,693,058

-5,100,878

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL APC GROUP ASIAN TERMINALS BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY BOULEVARD HLDG CALATA CORP CEBU AIR CENTRO ESCOLAR DFNN INC DISCOVERY WORLD EASYCALL FAR EASTERN U GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN HAVEN HARBOR STAR IMPERIAL A IMPERIAL B INTL CONTAINER IP EGAME IPEOPLE IPM HLDG ISLAND INFO ISM COMM JACKSTONES LBC EXPRESS LEISURE AND RES LIBERTY TELECOM LORENZO SHIPPNG MACROASIA MANILA JOCKEY MELCO CROWN METRO RETAIL MLA BRDCASTING NOW CORP PACIFIC ONLINE PAL HLDG PHIL SEVEN CORP PHILWEB PLDT PREMIUM LEISURE PRMIERE HORIZON PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL SBS PHIL CORP SSI GROUP STI HLDG TRAVELLERS WATERFRONT YEHEY CORP

7.34 50 1.25 0.59 11.2 5.79 5.9 0.103 2.84 115 10.18 5.34 2.03 3.03 965 2,250 6.34 16 1.22 21.4 166.7 63.3 0.009 11.48 9.35 0.33 1.5 3.21 12.24 6.35 3.02 1.09 2.5 2 3.74 5.93 19.08 3.56 11.72 5.71 125 7.6 1,970 1.07 0.46 47.25 86.1 6.35 3.38 0.63 3.55 0.33 6.45

7.34 50.05 1.3 0.59 11.2 5.87 5.92 0.105 2.85 119.5 10.18 5.5 2.45 3.03 965 2,270 6.42 16 1.24 21.4 170 63.4 0.009 11.48 9.35 0.33 1.5 3.35 12.88 6.35 3.07 1.09 2.7 2 3.74 6 19.98 3.68 11.78 6.18 134 8 1,970 1.07 0.47 49.25 87 6.42 3.55 0.63 3.58 0.33 6.6

SERVICES 7.25 49.7 1.23 0.59 10.66 5.65 5.73 0.102 2.81 115 9.8 5.02 2.03 3.03 965 2,228 6.33 15.5 1.21 20.3 165.1 61 0.009 11.46 9.3 0.32 1.32 3.06 12.24 5.94 2.99 1.09 2.45 2 3.6 5.87 19.08 3.56 11.68 5.71 125 5.03 1,900 1.05 0.455 47.25 86 6.35 3.36 0.6 3.55 0.33 6.31

7.29 50 1.23 0.59 10.66 5.87 5.89 0.103 2.82 118.9 10 5.02 2.3 3.03 965 2,228 6.39 15.7 1.24 20.75 167 61.95 0.009 11.46 9.35 0.325 1.4 3.06 12.78 6.08 2.99 1.09 2.5 2 3.65 5.88 19.98 3.62 11.68 6.05 134 5.13 1,903 1.06 0.455 48.75 86.55 6.37 3.52 0.61 3.57 0.33 6.45

17,100 38,440 64,000 165,000 160,300 20,800 1,914,000 84,900,000 2,510,000 1,341,750 16,000 1,207,300 112,000 1,000 20 115,605 231,100 79,000 332,000 29,000 260 1,727,270 15,000,000 1,100 502,500 5,430,000 18,455,000 251,000 5,100 2,795,700 227,000 50,000 715,000 5,000 5,635,000 10,280,200 600 3,661,000 10,400 831,000 380 9,937,700 280,705 8,059,000 1,110,000 1,508,400 2,853,750 677,300 15,618,000 6,384,000 432,000 500,000 32,400

124,937 1,920,562 82,400 97,350 1,795,090 120,103 11,193,508 8,772,710 7,069,860 158,285,937 157,272 6,291,530 246,000 3,030 19,300 259,205,950 1,472,420 1,230,540 408,170 611,285 43,148 106,652,900 134,500 12,626 4,695,465 1,765,450 25,931,320 800,900 65,550 17,020,674 680,860 54,500 1,816,420 10,000 20,579,670 61,182,597 11,538 13,221,740 121,952 5,016,573 49,760 58,583,990 536,893,500 8,534,070 508,450 73,439,610 246,784,375 4,317,361 54,437,680 3,907,700 1,539,870 165,000 207,708

7,500 3,630 -918,134 70,250 39,478,845 1,749,761 -56,607,160 -7,850 -31,140,319.50 3,272,500 33,620 16,000 -2,840,108 -41,860 -530,300 -828,970 -2,683,123 -724,000 981,754 26,300 1,214,250 -237,642,075 -4,229,090 10,269,970 -58,008,469.50 2,425,360 -2,292,640 396,070 -

ABRA MINING APEX MINING ATLAS MINING ATOK BASIC ENERGY BENGUET A BENGUET B CENTURY PEAK COAL ASIA HLDG DIZON MINES FERRONICKEL GEOGRACE LEPANTO A LEPANTO B MANILA MINING A MANILA MINING B MARCVENTURES NICKEL ASIA NIHAO OMICO CORP ORNTL PENINSULA ORNTL PETROL A PETROENERGY PHILODRILL PX MINING PX PETROLEUM SEMIRARA MINING TA PETROLEUM UNITED PARAGON

0.004 3.04 4.12 9.9 0.221 6.32 6.52 0.62 0.46 8.1 0.83 0.29 0.229 0.24 0.013 0.012 1.58 5.42 2.85 0.52 1.07 0.011 3.98 0.012 8.72 3.76 117 3.75 0.01

0.004 3.15 4.15 9.9 0.221 6.32 6.52 0.62 0.46 8.12 0.84 0.29 0.229 0.24 0.013 0.012 1.65 5.61 2.85 0.52 1.07 0.012 4.13 0.012 8.72 3.84 118 3.79 0.01

MINING AND OIL 0.004 0.004 3.01 3.02 4.1 4.1 9.65 9.65 0.218 0.218 6.3 6.3 6.52 6.52 0.6 0.61 0.45 0.45 8.07 8.08 0.82 0.83 0.285 0.285 0.221 0.224 0.23 0.238 0.012 0.012 0.012 0.012 1.57 1.57 5.4 5.61 2.78 2.81 0.52 0.52 1.02 1.02 0.011 0.011 3.98 4.13 0.012 0.012 8.45 8.6 3.73 3.73 116.5 116.8 3.66 3.66 0.010 0.010

190,000,000 347,000 170,000 3,000 1,690,000 17,300 900 1,508,000 950,000 29,600 13,663,000 760,000 17,070,000 5,460,000 12,600,000 5,500,000 430,000 4,928,400 268,000 50,000 600,000 9,300,000 27,000 9,200,000 1,407,500 2,001,000 595,490 76,000 82,600,000

779,300 1,060,440 699,260 29,625 370,130 109,122 5,868 907,210 434,050 239,171 11,311,520 217,150 3,814,310 1,277,610 156,200 66,000 682,070 27,184,945 747,560 26,000 621,650 104,300 109,460 110,400 12,041,199 7,565,150 69,652,511 283,630 814,170

15,100 10 -3,912.00 30,000 -36,250 38,736 1,522,220 -2,380 -396,930 2,585,594 -19,950 -45,430 -316,206 -728,820 27,069,555 -

AC PREF B2 ABS HLDG PDR DD PREF FGEN PREF G GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR LR PREF MWIDE PREF SFI PREF SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

545 49.5 105.3 119 525.5 6 1.06 108.2 2.36 78.5 81.25 76.05 80 79 79.9 77.1 77.4

545 50 105.3 119 525.5 6.09 1.06 111.7 2.42 78.5 81.25 76.4 80 79 79.9 77.25 77.4

PREFERRED 530 532.5 49.5 49.8 104.7 104.8 119 119 525.5 525.5 6 6 1.06 1.06 104 111.7 2.36 2.42 78.5 78.5 81 81 76.05 76.2 79 79 79 79 79.9 79.9 77 77 77.2 77.2

9,880 35,500 189,290 2,000 20,000 519,600 1,000,000 15,310 20,000 770 97,620 77,100 1,050 3,600 13,400 270,700 129,750

5,338,200 1,768,905 19,871,237 238,000 10,510,000 3,153,618 1,060,000 1,621,617 47,800 60,445 7,922,420 5,873,243.50 83,000 284,400 1,070,660 20,873,750 10,024,010

-965,945 -1,050,000 -2,996,418 -60,445 -7,922,420 70,819.50 3,855,000 -

LR WARRANT

2.54

2.54

WARRANTS 2.25 2.3

1,990,000

4,754,300

-70,060

5 5.36 3.65 16.9

5.24 5.23 3.66 16.64

SME 5 5.23 3.65 16.68

3,396,000 2,826,540 13,000 7,579,616

17,418,030 -52,468 47,550 -3,681,344

-20,190

-

ALTERRA CAPITAL ITALPINAS 5.35 MAKATI FINANCE XURPAS 16.64

-2,803,680 30,905,750

FIRST METRO ETF

131.2

131.4

4,670

612,070

60,260

506 1,272,960 27,810 13,600

TRADING SUMMARY

34,504,775 -15,973,331 -1,472,362 978,800 -2,307,674 -85,191,346 1,129,606 -58,846,390 -

12,428,980.50 -581,380 6,780,640 -9,540 45,176,221 5,480 -565,898 4,205,090 106,325,625

SHARES

FINANCIAL

12,309,689

INDUSTRIAL

129,674,769

HOLDING FIRMS

105,062,660

PROPERTY

199,954,540

SERVICES

212,174,034

MINING & OIL

361,464,288

GRAND TOTAL

1,025,053,388

5.17 534,300 3.66 454,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 131 131.4

-

VALUE 1,851.66(up) 11.45 979,477,577.70 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 12,279.24 (up) 40.03 1,596,840,206.88 HOLDING FIRMS 7,884.14 (up) 55.21 1,340,988,035.74 PROPERTY 3,649.55 (up) 2.53 SERVICES 1,575.26 (down) 15.71 1,136,843,213.04 MINING & OIL 10,836.96 (down) 67.87 1,759,002,239.636 PSEI 7,993.58 (up) 23.23 141,464,908.331 All Shares Index 4,757.70 (up) 16.75 6,983,157,810.75 Gainers: 90; Losers: 100; Unchanged: 53; Total: 243

GMA-7 income rises 116% to P2.38b

By Darwin G Amojelar GMA Network Inc. said on Monday net income jumped 116 percent in the first six months of the year on the back of higher political and regular advertising.

The Gozon-led broadcasting company, which airs on free TV channel 7, said net profit amounted to P2.38 billion in the January-to-June period from P1.09 billion in the same period last year.

“It definitely exceeded our expectations for the year. In fact, our net income for the first semester of 2016 is already higher than our bottom line for 2015 by at least P250 million,” GMA chairman and chief executive Felipe Gozon said.

“We are hoping that this momentum will continue into the remaining quarters,” he added.

The company was sticking to its P3-billion profit guidance this year.

The network’s consolidated revenues for the six-month period rose 32 percent to P8.76 billion on the back of electionrelated earnings, along with the sustained growth in recurring advertisements.

Combined airtime sales reached a record P8.065 billion, a 33-percent increase over last year. Discounting the impact of political ads, airtime revenues still grew by 10 percent.

Revenues from political advertisements amounted to P1.5 billion in the first six months of the year.

GMA Channel 7’s airtime revenues amounted to P7.57 billion, up 33 percent from last year’s P5.68 billion. Radio operations posted airtime revenues of P296 million, higher by 41 percent from P209 million.

Stocks up; Cebu Air advances THE stock market rose Monday in step with the rest of Asia, tracking a strong lead from Wall Street where markets rallied in the wake of strong US jobs data.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index gained 23.23 points, or 0.3 percent, to 7,993.58 on a value turnover of nearly P7 billion. Losers, however, beat gainers, 100 to 90, 53 issues unchanged.

Cebu Air Inc., the airline unit of industrialist John Gokongwei, advanced 3.4 percent to P118.90, on weak oil prices, while Megaworld Corp., the biggest lessor of office spaces, climbed 3.7 percent to P5.38.

Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., the second-biggest lender in terms of assets, rallied 3.1 percent to P93.95.

PLDT Inc., the largest telecommunications firm, dropped 1.9 percent to P1,903.

Meanwhile, China markets rose despite figures showing that imports and exports both slumped in July in dollar terms—the latest poor figures from the world’s second-largest economy.

Both the US and Europe got a lift Friday after Washington reported a big gain in jobs in July and upgraded employment estimates for the previous two months, boosting the chances of a Federal Reserve interest rate rise this year.

The report saw the dollar rise against the yen—a positive for Japanese exporters as a weaker yen inflates the value of their overseas profits.

Oil was also up slightly in Asia after slumping into a so-called bear market last week—losing 20 percent from recent June peaks above $50, and closing below $40 a barrel for the first time since April.

Manila

Business Standard

B3

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016 extrastory2000@gmail.com

TODAY

GDP likely grew 7% in 2nd quarter

By Julito G. Rada

T

HE economy likely grew 7 percent in the second quarter, faster than the 6.9-percent expansion in the first quarter, driven by infrastructure and election-related spending, Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said in an interview.

“Probably [around] 7 percent.

The second quarter was still driven by election spending and infrastructure. A lot of money was released already, by the time we [the new administration] came in. They said 87 percent of the budget was already released,” Pernia told reporters.

Pernia said he expected growth to be sustained in the second half. He said growth might not

be too far from 7 percent. The Philippine Statistics Authority will release the official secondquarter growth figure on Aug. 18.

“There’ll be more infra spending. And even PPP projects are going to be rolled out. Consumption spending is going to remain bullish because of the confidence and I think investors are also encouraged,” Pernia said.

Pernia said consumers and businessmen became more optimistic and confident of the economic outlook under the Duterte administration.

He said most businessmen who were against President Duterte before were now on the Duterte side.

DBS Bank of Singapore earlier said economic growth in the Philippines this year could be higher than its earlier forecast of 6.3 percent, because of the planned higher fiscal spending of the Duterte administration.

Duterte promised to increase fiscal expenditures, particularly on infrastructure projects, to boost economic growth.

The Duterte administration

will increase annual infrastructure spending to P1 trillion beginning 2017 to spread development to other parts of the country. The plan is to raise infrastructure spending to as much as 6 percent of gross domestic product.

Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said earlier that while agriculture would be the main priority in the 2017 budget proposal, infrastructure spending would account for the largest part at a range of P800 billion to P1 trillion.

Higher infrastructure spending is in line with the Duterte administration’s target to raise the budget deficit ceiling to 3 percent of GDP in 2017 from the current target of 2 percent.

FOTO Patayo GMA’S PROFIT JUMPS. GMA Network Inc. reports a 116-percent growth in net income in the first half to P2.38 billion from P1.09 billion a year ago, as revenues climbed 32 percent to P8.76 billion as of endJune. Shown during a news briefing in Quezon City are (from right) GMA Network chairman and chief executive Felipe Gozon, president and chief operating officer Gilberto Duavit Jr. and executive vice president and chief financial officer Felipe Yalong. Story on B2.

Govt suspends transport permit of lone iron ore mining company

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales tion,” said Environment underTHE government suspended the ore transport permit of Ore Asia Mining and Development Corp. in Doña Remedios Trinidad, Bulacan after it failed to secure ISO certification, an environment official said Monday.

“It was suspended because of failure to get the ISO certifica-

secretary and former Mines and Geosciences Bureau director Leo Jasareno.

Ore Asia, which has a quarrying operation in a 442-hectare area in Doña Remedios, produces around 60,000 metric tons of iron ore annually. Jasareno said Ore Asia was the only iron producing miner in the country.

Jasareno said under a memorandum order issued by the Environment Department, the regional director of MGB should withdraw all ore transport permit given to a mine that failed to get ISO certification.

He said Ore Asia’s environmental compliance certificate would also be suspended.

The Environment Department

Perverting system of representative government STUDENTS enrolled in Political Theory 101 are taught the system of government of this country is representative government. Since it is unfeasible, for numerical reasons, for the citizens of a democratic country to enact laws and make national policies themselves, they entrust those functions, under the terms of the Constitution, to representatives whom they choose at periodic elections. At the end of the electoral process the voting-age population of a democratic society is divided into two groups, namely, the voters, who in the law on contracts are called the principals, and the elected representatives, who are the agents of the principals.

In a democratic society an election may be considered as an agency-contract signing with the electorate and the candidates, with the candidates agreeing to represent the voters in the legislature. It goes without saying that every voter will cast his or her ballot for the candidate or candidates whose positions on issues – national as well as local – are reflective of his own positions. Thus, if he or she believes that the present form of government in this country is a dead-end and that federalism is the way to a better future, he or she would vote for the candidate whose platform includes federalism. Again, if a voter believes that the drug problem needs a suspend-due-process approach, he or she should vote for a candidate who advocates such an approach. Or if a voter believes that the answer to the nation’s fiscal difficulties is a sharp decrease in income taxation, he or she will shade the box opposite the candidate who believes in such an approach to taxation.

Political parties and party-list groups have names – in commercial parlance, those would be their brands – and they go into electoral combat with platforms consisting of their positions on the principal national issues of the day. The winning candidates are proclaimed by the Commission on Elections as the elected representatives of the political parties or party-list groups indicated in their COCs (certificates of candidacy).

Thus, in the 2016 elections the winning candidates were proclaimed as representatives of one of the major political parties (Liberal Party, Gobyernong May Puso Party, United Nationalist Alliance, PDP Laban and Lakas-NUCD) as one of the myriad of party-list groups.

It goes without saying, also, that the electorate expects the candidates for whom they voted to retain their COC-indicated party affiliations for the duration of the Executive or legislative terms to which they were elected. In other words, Liberal voters expect their elected representatives to run for re-election six or three years hence, and NPC, UNA, G-P, PDP-Laban and Lakas-NUCD voters doubtless expect their elected representatives to do the same. After all, the voters cast their ballots for them not because of their good looks or their pleasant personalities.

Imagine, then, the shock of most Filipino voters when they woke up after Election Day 2016 to find that the men and women elected by them as Liberal or UNA had immediately turned around and joined the “supermajority” cobbled together by incoming Speakerdesignate Pantaleon Alvarez, a close ally of President Duterte. What happened, they asked themselves, to the men and women who sought and accepted the voters in order to represent the Liberal Party, UNA, NPC and other parties in the 17th Congress? How did 34 million votes cast in support of the platforms of the Liberal Party and other major parties wind up being supportive of Rodrigo Duterte’s administration?

The explanation is simple: the candidates voted into Congress – especially into the House of Representatives – by the Filipino people apparently do not believe that they have a commitment to remain attached to, and to steadfastly support, the party under whose standard they ran. They apparently believe that once elected, they are free agents – individuals free to chart their courses in Congress with absolutely no obligation or duty to seek any people’s concurrence or to adhere to any agreed platform or program.

In effect, they think they can behave like political-party or party-list candidates up to Proclamation Day and like independents thereafter.

Considering that Filipino voters usually vote for political party’s candidates for President and district Representatives, one would have expected Rodrigo Duterte’s 38-percent-of-total-votes showing to translate into at most one-third of the 289 members of the House of Representatives. But as events have shown, that expectation was greatly exceeded. One-third became almost 100 percent of the Lower House. All because of massive turncoatism on the part of newly elected members of that chamber. The spectacle of almost all of the members of the Liberal Party-led Lower House coalition of the Aquino administration rushing to take their oaths before new Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez has been nothing short of disgusting. The scale and speed of the coat-turning have been breathtaking.

What the Filipino people have just witnessed in the House of Representatives is a grave perversion of the system of representative government that is supposed to prevail in this country. The men and women who were placed in the legislature by their principals – the voters – now act like they no longer are representatives; instead, they now behave like independents.

This, of course, is not the first time the Filipino people have witnessed this spectacle; they have witnessed it before. Nor will it be the last time. Each time it happens, each time the likes of recent Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. rush to the new center of power once that is established, the essence of Philippine democracy undergoes an erosion.

earlier issued an order which required all holders of mineral agreements and financial and technical assistance agreements in metallic operations to secure International Standards Organization 14001-Environmental Management Systems certification.

Failure to secure the certification will lead to the suspension

of the company’s environmental compliance certificate. Companies will also not be issued ore transport permit.

“There were also complaints of siltation in the river. Its a tributary of a river that comes from the Sibol spring,” Jasareno said.

The government earlier suspended the operations of four mining companies in Zambales

due to environmental violations.

It also suspended the operations of two mining companies in Palawan.

Jasareno said the government was currently auditing the mining operations of Philex Mining Corp., Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company, Atlas Consolidated Mining and Ocenagold Philippines.

Balance Sheet As of JUNE 30, 2016 ASSETS Cash and Cash Items Due from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Due from Other Banks Financial Assets at Fair Value through Profit or Loss Available-for-Sale Financial Assets-Net Held-to-Maturity (HTM) Financial Assets-Net Unquoted Debt Securities Classified as Loans-Net Investments in Non-Marketable Equity Security-Net Loans and Receivables-Net Loans to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Interbank Loans Receivable Loans and Receivables - Others Loans and Receivables Arising from RA/CA/PR/SLB General Loan Loss Provision Other Financial Assets Equity Investment in Subsidiaries, Associates and Joint Ventures-Net Bank Premises, Furniture, Fixture and Equipment-Net Real and Other Properties Acquired - Net Non-Current Assets Held for Sale Other Assets-Net Net Due from Head Office/Branches/Agencies Abroad TOTAL ASSETS

CURRENT QUARTER

PREVIOUS QUARTER

18,410,861.05 6,664,517,407.59 4,812,657,440.33 10,964,159.00 4,712,600.00 3,051,869,138.88 602,866,884.88 2,476,702,250.00 27,699,996.00 2,646,516.27 20,375,852.77 25,913,594.02 -

12,223,757.82 9,059,504,052.99 5,074,819,478.55 12,067,813.00 4,712,600.00 1,419,323,758.05 1,447,023,754.05 27,699,996.00 4,629,472.89 20,072,859.14 9,474,924.60 -

14,612,067,569.91

15,616,828,717.04

10,400,313.00 11,787,526,381.42 199,008.06 329,440,194.83 99,327,898.24 293,850,822.16

11,526,618.00 12,642,510,912.55 897,782.90 502,103,805.17 202,795,344.32 165,671,301.90

12,520,744,617.71

13,525,505,764.84

PRINCIPAL OFFICERS HENRY T. PELAEZ SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT COUNTRY MANAGER MARIA TERESA CECILIA BALITA VICE PRESIDENT COUNTRY COMPLIANCE MANAGER

LIABILITIES Financial Liabilities at Fair Value through Profit or Loss Deposit Liabilities Due to Other Banks Bills Payable a) BSP - (Rediscounting and Other Advances) b) Interbank Loans Payable c) Other Deposit Substitute d) Others Bonds Payable - Net Unsecured Subordinated Debt - Net Redeemable Preferred Shares Special Time Deposit Due to BSP Other Financial Liabilities Other Liabilities Net Due to Head Office/Branches/Agencies (Philippine branch of a foreign bank) TOTAL LIABILITIES STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY Capital Stock Other Capital Accounts Retained Earnings Assigned Capital

(4,738,253.00) 2,096,061,205.20

TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

(4,738,253.00) 2,096,061,205.20

2,091,322,952.20

2,091,322,952.20

14,612,067,569.91

15,616,828,717.04

123,087,177.01 703,686.79 175,772,214.43 1,124,075,073.41 24,312,282.11

166,823,929.16 2,295,164.97 59,931,180.87 1,013,934,507.08 22,257,173.27

1,447,950,433.75

1,265,241,955.36

3,079,569,138.88 4.00 (4.00) 0.00 5,514,000.00 35,655,665.21

1,447,023,758.05 4.00 (4.00) 0.00 5,514,000.00 37,965,240.03

1.16 0.00

2.62 0.00

0.00 0.00 3.33

0.00 0.00 (0.13)

47.31 46.70 -

46.68 46.07 -

CONTINGENT ACCOUNTS Guarantees Issued Financial Standby Letters of Credit Performance Standby Letters of Credit Commercial Letters of Credit Trade Related Guarantees Commitments Spot Foreign Exchange Contracts Securities Held Under Custodianship by Bank Proper Trust Department Accounts a) Trust and Other Fiduciary Accounts b) Agency Accoutns c) Advisory/ Consultancy Derivatives Others

TOTAL CONTINGENT ACCOUNTS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Gross total loan portfolio (TLP) Specific allowance for credit losses on the TLP Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) a) Gross NPLs b) Ratio of gross NPLs to gross TLP (%) c) Net NPLs d) Ratio of Net NPLs to gross TLP (%) Classified Loans and Other Risk Assets, gross of allowance fro credit losses DOSRI Loans and Receivables, gross of allowance fro credit losses Ratio of DOSRI Loans and Receivables, gross of allowance for credit losses, to TLP (%) Gross non-performing DOSRI loans and receivables Ratio of gross non-performing DOSRI loans and receivables to TLP (%) Percent Compliance with Magna Carta (%) a. 8% for Micro and Small Enterprises b. 2% for Medium Enterprises Return on Equity (ROE) (%) Capital Adequacy Ratio ( CAR for Solo Basis) as prescibed under existing regulations a. Total CAR (%) b. Tier 1CAR (%) Deferred Charges Not yet Written Down Unbooked Allowance for Probable Losses on Financial Instruments Received

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES) )S.S. I/We HENRY T. PELAEZ and MARY CLARE D. MONREAL of the above-mentioned bank do solemnly swear that all matters set forth in the above statement of condition are true and correct to the best of my/our knowledge and belief. _______________________________________ _______________________________________ (Sgd) HENRY T. PELAEZ (Sgd) MARY CLARE D. MONREAL VP - Finance SVP - Country Manager

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 3rd day of August 2016 at affiants exhibiting their Passport Numbers EC1793124 dated August 4, 2014 issued on DFA, NCR EAST and EC0214572 dated February 05, 2014 issued on DFA, NCR East, respectively.

(Sgd) EMMANUEL C. PARAS Notary Public for Makati City Appointment No. M-56 until Dec 31, 2016 Doc. No.157 Roll of Attorney No. 27192 Book No. 384 PTR NO. 5329563MD; 01/06/16: Makati City IBP No. 1020673; 01/06/16; Makati Chapter Page No. 33 MCLE Compliance No. IV-0007564. 9/5/12 Makati Series of 2016 SyCipLaw Center, 105 Paseo De Roxas Makati City 1226 Metro Manila MEMBER: PDIC Philippines

Ray S. Eñano, Editor business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com

B4

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

Business

S&P raises Korea’s credit rating by one level to AA S

outh Korea’s credit rating was increased one level by Standard & Poor’s, which cited the nation’s steady economic performance, sound fiscal position and flexible fiscal and monetary policies for the improvement.

S&P said Monday it raised the long-term credit rating for South Korea to AA from AA- with a stable outlook, the agency’s third-highest rating.

This follows an upgrade to Aa2 from Moody’s Investors Service in December 2015, which marked the first time that South Korea received a third-highest ranking from a major ratings agency. Fitch Ratings ranks South Korea at AA-, the fourth-highest level.

The decision may bolster investors’ confidence in South Korea’s prospects at a time when a global economic recovery remains uncertain and credit ratings or outlooks for major countries like Australia, the UK and Japan have been lowered. South Korea’s won gained and bonds pared losses after S&P’s decision

was announced. The country has a higher rating than neighboring China and Japan from all three international rating companies.

“Korea has exhibited stronger economic performance in recent years than most other high-income economies” S&P said in a statement. “The Korean economy remains welldiversified and is not dependent on a particular industry or export market.”

The Bank of Korea expects the economy―Asia’s fourth largest―to expand 2.7 percent this year, after growing 2.6 percent in 2015. Recent growth has been lower than what the central bank estimates as the nation’s potential rate―about 3 percent to 3.2 percent.

To fend off risks from corporate restructuring, the BOK

lowered its key interest rate to 1.25 percent in June, and the government announced 11 trillion won ($9.9 billion) of extra budget. The supplementary budget plan hasn’t yet been approved by parliament.

S&P’s upgrade highlights the South Korean economy’s stability amid external risks including Brexit, the direction of US interest rate policy and possible slowing in China’s economy, the finance ministry said in a statement on Monday.

This will contribute to market stability, and lead to higher ratings for South Korea’s financial companies and public firms, helping lower funding costs, the ministry said.

S&P also cited risks including geopolitical tension on the Korean peninsula. The agency said it could lower the ratings if tensions related to North Korea escalate to a point that affects South Korean sovereign credit metrics.

North Korea recently launched a series of missiles, with the latest one landing for the first time in Japan’s exclusive economic zone. The com-

munist regime has been threatening to retaliate over South Korea’s agreement to place a US-operated missile-defense system on the peninsula. The decision to deploy the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense

system, or Thaad, was made to strengthen anti-missile defense capability against increasing nuclear and missile threats from its northern neighbor, South Korean and US military officials said. Bloomberg

Five-day strike disrupts London commuter trains LONDON—Rail workers started a five-day strike Monday on services across southeast England, including commuter trains into London, causing major disruption on what could become the country’s longest rail walk-out since 1968.

The RMT union called the strike to protest plans to downgrade the role of the conductor on Southern Trains, causing cancellations across the network. AFP Southern, which is owned by Govia Thameslink Railway, said it will run 60 percent of services.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said there was “rock solid” support on the first morning of the strike, which, if completed, would be the longest industrial action on the railways since 1968, according to the BBC. Currently Southern trains require two members of staff to operate—a driver, and a conductor who checks the doors are properly closed at each station.

With the advent of automatic doors controlled by the driver, Southern says conductors are no longer essential, although it denies intending to scrap the jobs altogether.

The RMT, which is fighting a similar battle with Scottish railways operator ScotRail, says the move risks passenger safety. AFP

Britain probing Airbus LONDON―Britain’s Serious Fraud Office said on Sunday it had opened a criminal probe into Airbus Group, investigating allegations of fraud, bribery and corruption.

“These allegations relate to irregularities concerning third party consultants,” the SFO said in a statement.

The authority said it opened the investigation in July and asked anyone with relevant information to come forward.

A spokesperson for the SFO said additional details of the probe would not be made public until charges were brought or the investigation is dropped.

European planemaker Airbus said it was aware of the probe and the aviation firm was working with investigators.

“Airbus Group has been informed by the SFO that it has opened a criminal investigation into allegations of fraud, bribery and corruption in the civil aviation business of Airbus Group relating to irregularities concerning third party consultants,” the company said in a statement.

“Airbus Group continues to cooperate with the SFO,” the statement concluded.

The company was informed on Friday that the authority had launched an investigation, an Airbus spokesman told AFP. “We ourselves detected this issue and self-disclosed it to the authorities. AFP “This is as an effort of our enhanced anti-corruption (policy). Management has taken robust action and is determined to resolve this issue in cooperation with the authorities,” spokesman Jeremy Greaves said. AFP

China’s trade figures disappointing in July

A group of women walks past a poster outside a mall in Beijing on August 8,2016. China’s economy, the world’s second largest, struggled in July with a worse-than-expected trade performance as imports plunged 12.5 percent year-on-year, Customs said on August 8. AFP

BEIJING―China’s economy, the world’s second largest, struggled in July with a worsethan-expected trade performance as imports plunged 12.5 percent year-on-year, Customs said Monday.

Imports fell to $132.4 billion, customs data showed, as weaker global commodity prices and lackluster domestic demand weighed on purchases.

The drop in imports was significantly larger than expectations for a 7.0 percent fall, the median forecast in a survey of economists by Bloomberg News.

Exports also fell in US dollar terms, dropping 4.4 percent to $184.7 billion―below expectations of a 3.5 percent decline.

As the world’s biggest trader in goods, China is crucial to the global economy and its performance affects partners from Australia to Zambia, which have been battered by its slowing growth―while it faces headwinds itself in key developed markets.

Analysts described the July trade performance as disap-

pointing.

“Signs of stronger manufacturing activity among many of China’s key trading partners has so far failed to lift export growth,” China economist for Capital Economics, Julian Evans-Pritchard, said in a research note.

“At the same time, the renewed fall in global commodity prices is dragging down import growth,” he said.

July was the fourth month in a row that exports declined in dollar terms.

China’s imports have been shrinking since late 2014 with global commodity prices hammered as the country’s once blistering expansion lost steam, slowed down by manufacturing overcapacity, a slowing property market and mounting debt.

July saw their biggest monthly fall since February, when they lost 13.8 percent.

“China’s trade data was unimpressive in July,” ANZ Banking Group said in a research note, which added the outlook for the second half of the year was “challenging.” AFP

One crappy internet THE tag line under the banner announcing the forum said it all. ““69 Billion Pesos, 100 Million Subscribers, 700 Megahertz, 2 Dominant Telcos, 1 Crappy Internet” That seemed to me a perfect way to summarize what is at stake with the P69 billion buyout by PLDT and Globe of San Miguel Corp.’s telecommunication assets.

The buyout, now the subject of a court case in which the two giant telecommunications companies are seeking to stop the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) from doing its job, was the focus of a forum ]organized last week by the Foundation for Media Alternatives (FMA) and the Philippine chapter of Internet Society (ISOC PH).

Setting the tone for the forum hosted by the Ateneo School of Government, Dean Ron Mendoza described the buyout as an important test case on the policy of competition, as set out in the Philippine Competition Act of 2015.

In case you were too busy chasing Pokemon on your mobile phone to notice, here is the story so far.

Toward the end of May, the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) and Globe Telecom announced that they would buy the telecommunication assets of San Miguel Corp. for P70 billion.

The crown jewels of the purchase is the right

to use the 700-megahertz spectrum, which San Miguel had planned to use in partnership with Telstra of Australia to compete against the duopoly. The spectrum is significant because the 700-megahertz band is best at penetrating buildings and traveling long distances.

But San Miguel’s $1 billion deal with Telstra fell through, helped no doubt by heavy lobbying from both PLDT and Globe, which was pressuring the government to grant them a share of the spectrum, too—an outcome that would have cut the competitive advantage and profitability of San Miguel’s prospective joint venture. PLDT even threatened to go to court over the issue, adding an element of uncertainty to the viability of the new would-be competitor.

When Telstra backed out, PLDT and Globe agreed to split San Miguel’s telecommunications assets 50-50.

The sale was a coup for both carriers, which have dominated the industry by buying out smaller competitors—with PLDT gobbling up Digitel, which operated Sun Cellular, and Globe buying out Bayantel.

To nobody’s surprise, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), which has always taken the side of the telcos over consumers, approved the buyout on the condition that PLDT and Globe would “increase capacity, i.e., broadband and internet access speed within one year”--without specifying what this actually meant.

When the newly formed Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) announced it would investigate the buyout because of anti-trust concerns, Globe and PLDT went to court separately to stop it, arguing that the commission’s own transitory rules allowed them to go ahead with the deal.

When the Court of Appeals 6th Division threw out Globe’s request to stop the PCC from reviewing the deal, the telco sought to consolidate its petition with that of PLDT, which is still pending with the Appeals Court’s 12th Division.

On July 28, the 6th Division approved the consolidation of the Globe and PLDT cases, over the objections of the PCC, which saw the move as a form of forum shopping.

Examining the economic implications of the deal during last week’s forum, Adora Navarro, senior research fellow at the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) said allowing the deal to push through would make it highly unlikely that a third player would be able to enter the market to challenge the duopoly of PLDT and Globe.

This is unfortunate, because as Navarro noted, markets with three dominant players such as those in Malaysia and Thailand are more competitive than duopolies, which are prone to price collusion.

At the same forum, Greg Tangonan, a computer and communications engineering professor at the Ateneo de Manila University, said that from a technical perspective, allowing PLDT and Globe to buy

up the right to use the 700MHz band would deprive consumers of more innovative applications such as interactive TV. He, too, said the entry of a third carrier would be better because the two dominant telcos have no incentive to innovate.

Commenting on the poor quality of services provided by PLDT and Globe, Tangonan said part of the problem was the “gutless NTC.” “They’ve been throttling back on their services to keep us on SMS and voice and we don’t complain because we don’t have the NTC on our side,” he said.

While Tangonan held out hope that the NTC under the newly formed Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) would do better, that prospect looks unlikely at best, since the department is headed by none other than the former chief legal counsel of Globe.

The best hope, for now, then, is that the PCC be allowed to do its job.

As Winthrop Yu, chairman of ISOC PH, noted, it is clearly the mandate of the commission to ensure that consumers are not on the losing end of any business transaction, especially those that directly affect their daily lives. This mission, it seems clear to me, ought to trump any legal parsing of the transitory rules that PLDT and Globe are using to ram the deal down our throats.

Column archives and blog at: http://www.chinwong.com

LGUs

SBMA seeks free Wi-fi in Subic CBD

By Butch Gunio SUBIC BAY FREEPORT— With the Philippines ranking 13th among countries with the highest number of internet users and sixth with the most number of people on Facebook, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority is looking at putting up more public Wi-fi areas here where visitors can stay “connected” for free.

SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia said they are discussing with local Internet provider PLDT-Subictel the possibility of putting up free Wi-fi connection for the whole Central Business District (CBD) in the Subic Bay Freeport, an area most frequented by tourists and visitors.

Garcia said that a meeting with PLDT-Subictel president Renato Castañeda has already yielded positive results: the provision of free Wi-fi at Remy Field, a favorite spot for residents and practicing athletes because of its track oval and other sports facilities.

“Now I’m trying to convince them to turn the whole CBD into a free Wi-fi area, just like what they are doing to airports, seaports, and other places where a lot of people go,” Garcia said.

The SBMA chairman added that he has also identified alternative spots in the Subic Freeport for possible free wifi connection. These are the Boardwalk Park, Malawaan

Fishing Area, the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center and the Harbor Point mall.

“Aside from Remy Field, those are the major points where visitors would benefit the most from a public Wi-fi system,” Garcia added.

Meanwhile, Garcia also announced that the SBMA board of directors is now studying a proposal to operate the internetbased Uber taxi franchise in the Subic Freeport.

The transport system, which is franchised by the American multinational online transportation network company Uber Technologies Inc., operates through a mobile application that allows customers with smartphones to book trips online.

“Uber is very much interested to put up its business here, maybe because we have a different regulatory framework here. So, we’re working out the details like the requirement for professional drivers and third party liability insurance,” Garcia said.

“We have spoken with the Uber general manager, and they are very interested because they want to make Subic an example of their operations,” he added.

Garcia said that he sees much benefit from Uber operation in Subic: “Number one is it will provide additional jobs; and number two, it will force local taxis in the freeport to lower their fares, which are really excessive.”

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

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Pangasinan hires 300 Spes workers

By Dexter A. See

L

INGAYEN—Gov. Amado Espino III has approved 150 more slots in the Special Program for Employment of Students (Spes) project, increasing the number of grants to 300 next year.

This was disclosed by Espino when he distributed the 60-percent wage counterpart of the provincial government to the second batch of 75 Spes workers at the Provincial Employment Services Office (Peso) in Lingayen on August 5.

Earlier, 75 members of the first batch of SPES grantees received their wage counterpart

from the province.

The Pangasinan Peso released P730,000 for the 60-percent counterpart of the province for the 150 SPES workers.

Each Spes grantee worked for 20 days for a daily wage rate of P409.09.

The 40-percent counterpart from the Department of Labor and Employment will be dis-

tributed separately.

During the paying of wages to the Capitol Spes workers, Espino asked the beneficiaries to study harder since their parents have to work hard to put them through school.

Meanwhile, Peso manager Alex Ferrer noted that the DoLE Spes program implemented under the term of former governor Amado Espino, Jr., now fifth district representative, started with 100 grantees and later on added 50 additional slots.

“The Spes program specifically helps students who come from less-privileged families, but are competitive and deserving,” Ferrer pointed out.

The Spes workers were deployed in offices and hospitals run by the province.

Expressing gratitude for the support of the provincial government to the Spes program, “The Spes opportunity molded me to become a productive student and citizen,” said Vanessa Rosana, a second year elementary school student at the PSU Urdaneta campus.

Rina May Visperas, a fisheries student of PSU Binmaley, on the other hand, lauded the Spes grant as a big help to her parents.

DoLE representative, Labor Employment Officer III Rhodora Dingle from Western Pangasinan field office was present during the distribution.

Erap clears Raon Street of vendors

HEALTHY. A vendor arranges pyramids of brightly colored fruits in San Andres market, which is frequented by local and foreign shoppers.

Sonny Espiritu

Use flourescent bulb recycler, says NGO A NON-PROFIT group advocating the safe management of used fluorescent lamps containing toxic mercury urged the Department of Energy to put to use a costly recycling machine gathering dust in Taguig City.

Through a letter sent to Secretary Alfonso Cusi, the EcoWaste Coalition pressed for the operation of the Lamp Waste Management Facility (LWMF) with mercury recovery that the DoE bought in 2013 from MRT System International, a Swedish company, for $1.37 million, inclusive of taxes and customs duties.

The facility is a component of the DoE-led Philippine Energy Efficiency Project supported by a loan from the Asian Development Bank.

“We hope that your office is one with us in recognizing the urgent need for the government to operate the LWMF and implement a practical system for the safe recycling of lamp waste to minimize mercury pollution due to the improper disposal of fluorescent lamps at the end of their useful life,” wrote Noli Abinales, EcoWaste Coalition president.

“The prolonged non-operation of the facility can take its toll on the multimillion-peso equipment while spent lamps continue to be arbitrarily disposed of like ordinary trash, contaminating human bodies and the environment with toxic mercury,” Abinales pointed out.

The DoE operated the facility, located in Bagumbayan, Taguig City, during the pilot phase.

As described by the DOE, the LWMF is “a facility where all spent mercury-containing lamps shall undergo recycling to recover mercury and other by-products (to) avert residual mercury from entering the food chain through landfill leaching into ground water.”

When the group visited the LWMF in September 2014, they were told that the facility should be running by December 2014.

“We are now more than half-way to 2017 and we still see no functional facility that will safely receive and recycle our mercury-containing lamp waste,” said Abinales.

In the same letter, the Eco Waste Coalition urged Cusi to issue a ertificate of concurrence to the government’s ratification of the Minamata Convention on Mercury and to transmit the same to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Signed by former DENR secretary Ramon Paje in October 2013 at a diplomatic conference in Japan, the Minamata Convention seeks to protect human health and the environment by reducing mercury supply and trade, phasing out or phasing down mercury-containing products and by controlling mercury emissions and releases.

The Philippines has yet to ratify the Minamata Convention. PNA

MANILA Mayor Joseph Estrada has ordered the clearing of Raon Street in Quiapo of hundreds of sidewalk vendors and eyesores that have clogged the so-called “electronics capital of the Philippines” for many years.

Dubbed as the country’s “electronics capital,” Raon is known for its wide array of stores selling electric supplies and electronics such as audio equipment systems, tools, hardware, and even computers, parts, and accessories.

On Monday, Task Force Manila Cleanup, under the direction of Estrada, cleared the entire stretch of Raon (now called Gonzalo Puyat Street) from Rizal Avenue to Quezon Boulevard.

More than 400 illegal vendors were driven away and at least six truckloads of trash, from vendors’ makeshift wooden stalls to pushcarts, were collected.

Task Force Manila Cleanup head Che Borromeo said the cleanup of Raon, a popular electronics shopping center, was

long overdue.

“They have virtually occupied the center of the street, unmindful that they block traffic flow, so that’s why they have to go now. We’ve been lenient with them for such a long time,” Borromeo said.

The Raon operation was carried out after the city hall’s Bureau of Permits revoked the special permits given to sidewalk vendors in Raon, according to her. The permits allow the vendors to sell their wares in designated areas for a certain period of time.

“The problem is that the number of sidewalk vendors have swelled,” Borromeo stressed.

“Some even live in the streets,” he added.

The city government has recently cleared Divisoria, Blumentritt Street, the Sta. CruzRizal Avenue area and Quiapo in an attempt to decongest the city’s main thoroughfares and bring back what Estrada described as Manila’s “beauty and old glory.”

Leadership courses set for LGU execs THE Development Academy of the Philippines has announced that enrolment for courses on good governance and leadership excellence and development for local government units for 2016 is now open.

Ped Garcia, DAP communications officer, said this will enable legislators, local government executives, technical and administrative staff to develop their capacities in governance

and development.

The courses include the following: 1. Course on Effective Local Legislation for Newly Elected Officials—Aug. 22-24 at DAPPasig; 2. Seminar-Workshop on Updating Local Revenue Code for Provincial and Municipal Local Government Units—Aug. 23-26 at DAP-Pasig; 3. Leadership Excellence and

Development Course (LEAD) for Newly Elected Local Chief Executives—Sept. 28-30 at DAP-Pasig; 4. Seminar-Orientation on Public-Private Partnership (PPP) for LGUs—Oct. 19-21 at DAP-Pasig; 5. Basic Course on Migration and Local Development—Nov. 9-11; 6. Seminar-Workshop on Sustainable Tourism Planning

for LGUs—Nov. 14-18 at DAPPasig; and 7. Basic Course on Child Rights-Responsive Governance – Nov. 22-24 at DAP-Pasig.

Interested parties may download and fill up their enrolment forms from the DAP website (www.dap.edu.ph). They may also contact the DAP’s LGDO at (632) 631-2132 / (632) 631-2135 or write via e-mail at (cfg-lgdo@dap. edu.ph.(DAP). PNA

DIET. An array of food choices is displayed in a restaurant in Ozamis City. The increasing number of new restaurants and food stops is seen as a sign of economic growth in the city. Lance Baconguis

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

Standard

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LGUs

TODAY TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

S&T boosts ARMM SMEs’ productivity

By A. Perez Rimando

I

SABELA CITY, Basilan—The development and benefits of science and technology in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao was recognized by the Department of Science and Technology during S&T week here, an agency official said.

DoST Regional Secretary Myra Mangkabung said the celebration, hosted by Isabela City Mayor Rose Furigay

and attended by ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman and Basilan Gov. Jim Salliman, focused on the theme “Juan Science,

Republic of the Philippines Office of the President

PHILIPPINE DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE PDEA Bldg., NIA Northside Road, National Government Center, Barangay Pinyahan Quezon City 1100, Philippines www.pdea.gov.ph

INVITATION TO BID PROCUREMENT OF PDEA EVIDENCE INVENTORY INFORMATION SYSTEM (PEIIS) Bid Ref. No. 2016-06 The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), thru its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) with office address at NIA Northside Road, National Government Center, Quezon City intends to apply the sum of TWO MILLION FIFTEEN THOUSAND PESOS ONLY (P 2,015,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) for the PROCUREMENT OF PDEA EVIDENCE INVENTORY INFORMATION SYSTEM (PEIIS) under Annual Procurement Plan (APP) for CY 2016;

One Nation,” in honor of the local S&T inventors and experts and to inspire the youth and other aspiring scientists to specialize in local technology.

Mangkabung stressed the importance of making S&T a way of life for all Filipinos.

She noted that the agency has provided technology innovation support to micro, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) which boosted productivity.

Technical assistance and consultancy service were also provided to enhance the SMEs’ production capacity and competitiveness, while technology was transfer through the transition support program-small enterprise technology upgrading for established firms, “the Teknolohiyang Pangkabuhayan” featuring the agency-developed “water filter system,” and the “One-Stop-

Shop” product development.

The DoST, Mangkabung said, has implemented 24 projects in Basilan—including four livelihood-generating and poverty-alleviating programs—out of 11 targeted works, garnering an accomplishment rating of 218 percent.

She added that during the celebration, she and Mindanao State University-TawiTawi Chancellor Lorenzo Reyes signed a memorandum of agreement for the establishment of a food innovation center “to produce agricultural and fishery food products by becoming the hub for innovation and technical support services for the food processing industry in the ARMM.” Mangkabung enjoined residents “to utilize to the fullest extent technology and innovation for productivity and competitiveness.”

Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at the Bid opening andlate bids shall not be accepted.

1.

The PDEA - BAC now invites PhilGEPS registered softwareproviders for the PROCUREMENT OF PDEA EVIDENCE INVENTORY INFORMATION SYSTEM (PEIIS).

2.

A prospective biddershould have completed within the last Three (3) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, at least one (1) single contract of similar nature amounting to at least 50% of the ABC for the said projects.

3.

Open competitive bidding will be conducted using non-discretionary “pass/fail” criteria as specified in the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184, otherwise known as “Government Procurement Act”. All particulars relative to this bidding including Eligibility Checking, Bid Security, Evaluation and Post Qualification Procedures and Award of Contract shall be governed by R.A. 9184 and its Revised IRR.

4.

The bidding is open to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183 and subject to Commonwealth Act 138.

The Invitation to Bid and Checklist of Requirements may be downloaded from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and PDEA Website at www.pdea.gov.ph. The complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders upon payment of nonrefundable fee indicated below.

The Bidding Documents shall be received personally by the prospective Bidder or his duly authorized representative upon presentation of proper identification of document.

For purpose of having a legal personality to raise or submit written queries or clarification in the Pre-Bid Conference relative to these bid projects, Bidder must first pay the nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents on or before the date of Pre-Bid Conference.

5.

The Schedule of Bid Activities shall be as follows: NOMENCLATURE

1. SALE & ISSUANCE of Bid Documents

2. PRE-BID CONFERENCE (open only to parties who have acquired bid documents) 3. SUBMISSION and OPENING OF BIDS

6.

7.

VENUE BAC Secretariat c/o Ms. Ria Samson PDEA Compound, NIA Northside Road, National Government Center, 1100 Quezon City Conference Room, PDEA Compound, NIA Northside Road, National Government Center, 1100 Quezon City

DATE/TIME 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM only, Mondays to Fridays, starting August 2, 2016 Php 5,000.00 August 11, 2016 2:00 PM

PDEA reserves the right to accept or reject any Bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all Bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected Bidder or Bidders (Sgd) ATTY. ROSELYN A. BORJA Director, Internal Affairs Service Vice-Chairman, Bids and Awards Committee (TS-AUG. 9, 2016)

Republic of the Philippines Office of the President

PHILIPPINE DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE PDEA Bldg., NIA Northside Road, National Government Center, Barangay Pinyahan Quezon City 1100, Philippines www.pdea.gov.ph

INVITATION TO BID PROCUREMENT OF TEN (10) UNITS MOTOR VEHICLE Bid Ref. No. 2016-01 The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), thru its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) with office address at NIA Northside Road, National Government Center, Quezon City intends to apply the sum of TEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS ONLY (P 10,500,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) for the PROCUREMENT OF TEN (10) UNITS MOTOR VEHICLE under Annual Procurement Plan (APP) for CY 2016; Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at the Bid opening andlate bids shall not be accepted.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

The PDEA - BAC now invites PhilGEPS registered motor vehicleproviders for the PROCUREMENT OF TEN (10) UNITS MOTOR VEHICLE. A prospective biddershould have completed within the last Three (3) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, at least one (1) single contract of similar nature amounting to at least 50% of the ABC for the said projects Open competitive bidding will be conducted using non-discretionary “pass/fail” criteria as specified in the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184, otherwise known as “Government Procurement Act”.

All particulars relative to this bidding including Eligibility Checking, Bid Security, Evaluation and Post Qualification Procedures and Award of Contract shall be governed by R.A. 9184 and its Revised IRR. The bidding is open to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183 and subject to Commonwealth Act 138.

The Invitation to Bid and Checklist of Requirements may be downloaded from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and PDEA Website at www.pdea.gov.ph. The complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders upon payment of nonrefundable fee indicated below. The Bidding Documents shall be received personally by the prospective Bidder or his duly authorized representative upon presentation of proper identification of document.

For purpose of having a legal personality to raise or submit written queries or clarification in the Pre-Bid Conference relative to these bid projects, Bidder must first pay the non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents on or before the date of Pre-Bid Conference.

The Schedule of Bid Activities shall be as follows: NOMENCLATURE

1. SALE & ISSUANCE of Bid Documents 2. PRE-BID CONFERENCE (open only to parties who have acquired bid documents) 3. SUBMISSION and OPENING OF BIDS

CRISTINA CABADA REGINALDO Petitioner, THE LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OF QUEZON CITY, Respondent. x--------------------------------------------x

ORDER

Before this Court is a verified petition filed by petitioner through counsel on May 26, 2016, praying that an order be issued directing the correction of the abovementioned entries in the birth certificates of said minor children of herein petitioner by ordering the deletion of the middle name CABADA as erroneously appearing thereon.

The petition, being sufficient in form and substance, is hereby given due course and set for initial hearing on December 5, 2016 at 8:30 o’clock in the morning before this Court sitting at Rooms 207-208, 2/F, Hall of Justice, City Hall Complex, Quezon City at which date, time and place all interested persons are

VENUE

DATE/TIME

BAC Secretariat c/o Ms. Ria Samson PDEA Compound, NIA Northside Road, National Government Center, 1100 Quezon City

8:00 AM to 4:00 PM only, Mondays to Fridays, starting August 2, 2016

Conference Room, PDEA Compound, NIA Northside Road, National Government Center, 1100 Quezon City

August 11, 2016 1:00 PM

Php25,000.00

August 23, 2016 1:00 PM

6. Interested bidders may obtain further information from the BAC Secretariat c/ oMs. Ria C. Samsonat the PDEA Compound, NIA Northside Road, National Government Center, Quezon City from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PMonly, Mondays to Fridays starting August 2, 2016at Tel No. (632) 920-8082.However, any queries relative to the contents of the bid documents and the project requirements can only be made by bidders who purchased the bid documents not later than Ten (10) days prior to the Submission and Opening of Bids.

7. PDEA reserves the right to accept or reject any Bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all Bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected Bidder or Bidders.

On the other hand, the petitioner is directed to serve a copy of the petition on the government agencies abovementioned, and to submit proof of compliance thereof and to have this Order be published in a newspaper of general circulation to be chosen by raffle, once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks at least two (2) weeks before the date of hearing.

In the event that hearing should not take place on the said date due to fortuitous event or if the aforesaid scheduled date is declared a non-working holiday, it shall be held on December 12, 2016 at 8:30 o’clock in the morning at the same time and place without further notice.

SO ORDERED. Quezon City, Metro Manila, June 13, 2016.

(Sgd.) MARILOU D. RUNES-TAMANG, MNSA Presiding Judge (MS-Aug. 2, 9 & 16, 2016)

In Classified Ads section must be brought to our attention the very day the advertisement is published.

We will not be responsible for any incorrect ads not reported to us immediately.

Republic of the Philippines Province of Bataan MUNCIPALITY OF LIMAY

August 23, 2016 2:00 PM

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the BAC Secretariat c/oMs. Ria C. Samsonat the PDEA Compound, NIA Northside Road, National Government Center, Quezon City from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PMonly, Mondays to Fridays starting August 2, 2016at Tel No. (632) 920-8082.However, any queries relative to the contents of the bid documents and the project requirements can only be made by bidders who purchased the bid documents not later than Ten (10) days prior to the Submission and Opening of Bids.

ERRORS & OMISSIONS

Republic of the Philippines required to appear and show cause why REGIONAL TRIAL COURT the petition should not be granted.

National Capital Judicial Region Branch 98, Quezon City, Metro Manila The Branch Clerk of Court is ordered to cause the service of copies of this order IN THE MATTER OF CORRECTION on the Philippine Statistics Authority OF THE ENTRY IN THE BIRTH CERTIFICATES OF THE MINORS (National Statistics Office), Local Civil JOHN STEPHANO CARLO CABADA Registrar of Quezon City, Office of the REGINALDO AND JOANNA CLARISSE CABADA REGINALDO IN City Attorney of Quezon City, Office of THE OFFICE OF THE LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRY OF QUEZON CITY the City Prosecutor of Quezon City and Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) for R-QZN-16-05166 SP their comment/report.

INVITATION TO BID The Bids and Awards Committee of the Municipality of Limay will be accepting bids for the procurement of the ff; Sources of FUNDS

Duration

Approved Budget Cost(ABC)

Cost of Bid Doc’s.

Limay, Bataan

General Fund

30 Days

1,199,000.00

2,000.00

Limay, Bataan

General Fund

60 Days

1,334,660.00

2,000.00

Limay, Bataan

General Fund

60 Days

2,499,442.00

5,000.00

Name of Project/ Location Contract Supply and Delivery of 1 Container Vans for Documents Storage Supply and Delivery Steel 2 of Racks for Documents File Supply and of 3 Delivery Furnitures and Fixtures

Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

Delivery of Goods shall not exceed thirty (30) calendar days upon winning bidder’s receipt of the Notice to Proceed. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act.” The Bidding Documents is available at the office of the BAC Secretariat, 2nd Floor, Limay Municipal Building, National Road, Barangay Townsite, Limay, Bataan and may be acquired by interested bidders through payment of non-refundable fee for the bidding documents.

The schedule of activities is listed, as follows: ACTIVITIES

SCHEDULE

Issuance of the Bidding August 9 - 26, 2016 Documents Pre-Bid Conference

August 12, 2015, 2:00 P.M.

Submission/Opening of Bids

August 26, 2016, 2:00P.M.

VENUE Procurement Office, Ground Floor, Limay Municipal Bldg Conference Room, 2nd Floor, Limay Municipal Building.

Conference Room, 2nd Floor, Limay Municipal Building.

The Pre-Bid Conference shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

The BAC of the Municipality of Limay reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please contact: Ms. Raquel A. Leongson BAC Office 2nd Floor, Limay Muncipal Building, National Road, Brgy. Townsite, Limay, Bataan Telephone No. 613-8026 (Sgd.) ROMARIO C. PANANGUI Chairman, Bids and Awards Committee

(Sgd) ATTY. ROSELYN A. BORJA Director, Internal Affairs Service Vice-Chairman, Bids and Awards Committee (TS-AUG. 9, 2016)

(MS-AUG. 9, 2016)

AID. Photo shows one of the beneficiaries of the Nego-Cart distribution under the Pangkabuhayan Ko, Handog ng Tito Ko program of Marilao Mayor Tito Santiago.

DENR audits Aussie mining firm in Vizcaya

By Ferdie G. Domingo SAN JOSE CITY—Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Gina Lopez has dispatched a six-man team to Nueva Vizcaya to audit the Australian mining company operating in Kasibu town amid reports its operations have endangered some 300,000 hectares of agricultural lands in northern and central Luzon.

Nueva Vizcaya Gov. Carlos Padilla said the team has arrived in Barangay Dipidio, Kasibu to look into the operations of Oceana Gold Philippines Inc. DENR Memo Order 1 issued by Lopez last July 8 calls for the auditing of all mining companies.

The Oceana Gold audit team is headed by forester Nemesio Beronilla of DENR Region 1.

The members of the team were DENR Region 2 assistant regional director Wilfredo Malvar, Christian Oropesa and Astor Rejuso of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau and Jasmin Rieza and Goldwin Cesario de Leon of the Environmental Management Bureau.

Padilla, who earlier urged the DENR to withdraw OGPI’s exploration permit, suspend its operations and terminate the financial and technical assistance agreement (FTAA) for being destructive to the environment, said the audit team would be able to validate their reports firsthand.

“With this audit team, we may avert an environmental holocaust in its impact zone and save our people from further miseries associated with open pit mining,” he said.

Padilla, his wife former governor Ruth Padilla and leaders of indigenous peoples, earlier

said they oppose OGPI’s operations because Nueva Vizcaya is a critical watershed of major dams namely Ambuklao, Binga, Casecnan, Magat, Pantabangan and San Roque, which irrigate at least 286,920 hectares of agricultural lands in Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon.

The $1.19-billion, 200-meter tall and 1.2-kilometer long San Roque Dam is considered the country’s largest dam and the 16th largest in the world. It is an enbankment dam on the Agno River, considered the third largest in the country.

The World Bank-funded Pantabangan Dam is the largest in terms of irrigation coverage as irrigates 120,000 hectares of agricultural lands in Central Luzon while the $600-million Casecnan Dam, which diverts water from the Casecnan and Taang Rivers to the Pantabangan Dam through a 25-kilometer underground tunnel, irrigates 81,920 hectares of lands in Nueva Ecija and Pampanga.

The Magat Dam irrigates 85,000 hectares of agricultural lands in the Cagayan Valley region while the Ambuklao and Binga Dams, which were both damaged by the 1990 killer earthquake that rocked North Luzon, provide hydropowergenerating capacities.

Padilla said that aside from these dams, the operations of the OGPI affects the province’s vision to become a watershed haven and its promotion as an agro-forestry area and eco-tourism site with its fertile soil, semi-temperate climate and natural wonders as the firm’s FTAA area is the site of the Capisaan Cave, the country’s fourth-longest cave system as well as the citrus and high-value crops plantations of local farmers.

Cebu LRT may cost $30m per kilometer THE proposed light railway transit project in Cebu will cost the national government $30 million per kilometer to build, an official said.

Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Dino said this is the cost estimate for an elevated railways system, but the cost may go down if the line is on the ground.

Dino said Singaporean experts, who are conducting the feasibility study on the project, came up with the amount.

The mass transit will cover a 70-kilometer route, up to Carcar City in the south and Danao City in the north, traversing the cities of Talisay, Cebu and Mandaue.

Dino said they will propose an additional route to the Mactan airport.

The LRT project aims to solve Metro Cebu’s traffic problems.

It will be implemented to complement the Bus Rapid Transit project in Cebu City.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte, in his first State of the Nation Address, said his administration will push for the implementation of the rail system in Cebu and Davao City as mode of mass transport to address traffic congestion.

Dino said his office will make sure the project will be implemented before President Duterte’s term ends. PNA (TS-JULY 29, 2016)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

World

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

Suicide bomber kills 5 in south Yemen attack

A

DEN—A suicide bomber rammed his vehicle into a large group of army reinforcements in south Yemen on Sunday, killing five soldiers, military officials said.

Another seven soldiers were wounded in the attack targeting troops who had been sent from the main southern city of Aden to Lahj province to fight jihadists, the sources said.

A military official said it was unclear whether the attack had

been carried out by Al-Qaeda or the Islamic State group, both of which have gained ground in the south and claimed deadly anti-government assaults in the past.

The bombing came hours after clashes between troops and ji-

hadists in Lahj, the military officials told Agence France Presse, adding that Saudi-led coalition jets also took part in the fighting.

Also on Sunday, suspected members of Al-Qaeda shot dead an army colonel in nearby Abyan province, a military source said.

The gunmen on a motorbike opened fire at Colonel Abdullah Shamba, killing him immediately before driving off, the official said.

Shamba headed a local antiAl-Qaeda militia in Abyan.

Late on Saturday, coalition jets attacked Al-Qaeda positions in Abyan’s provincial capital of Zinjibar and in the nearby town of Jaar, military sources said.

Government forces backed by the Arab coalition began an allout offensive in March against jihadists in south Yemen, recapturing main cities they had held.

But they later retreated from Zinjibar after Al-Qaeda militants struck back.

Jihadists have exploited the power vacuum created by the

conflict between the government and Huthi rebels and their allies to expand their presence in south and southeast Yemen.

The Arab coalition which backs the Yemeni government against pro-Iran rebels has also turned its sights on the jihadists, and the United States has pressed its drone war against them.

Washington considers the Yemen-based Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, to be the extremist network’s deadliest franchise. AFP

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15 hurt in Tokyo Molotov cocktail blast TOKYO—Fifteen people, including a one-year-old baby girl, were injured in a Molotov cocktail attack at a Tokyo festival parade, officials said Monday.

Several hand-made fire bombs were thrown from a nearby apartment building when the parade passed through a quiet residential area on Sunday evening, police and fire officials said.

Firefighters later found a man in his 60s who had hanged himself in the apartment from which the bombs were apparently thrown, the official said.

One of the man’s neighbors told Fuji TV that he had been depressed after losing his wife last year, and complained that the boisterous festival, which included samba dancing, was too noisy for him.

Local media said the fire bombs were made with a glass bottle attached with a gas cylinder.

Most victims suffered burns, but their conditions were not critical, a fire official told Agence France Presse. AFP

Sokor opposition solons visit China

SLOWDOWN. A truck transports containers at a port in Qingdao, eastern China’s Shandong province on Monday. China’s economy, the world’s second largest, struggled in July with a worse-than-expected trade performance as imports plunged 12.5 percent year-on-year, Customs said. AFP

Iran executes nuke scientist for ‘spying for US’ TEHRAN—Iran has executed a nuclear scientist convicted of handing over “confidential and vital” information to the United States, a judicial spokesman said on Sunday.

“Shahram Amiri was hanged for revealing the country’s top secrets to the enemy,” Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejeie told reporters in Tehran.

Amiri, 39, disappeared in Saudi Arabia in June 2009 and resurfaced a year later in the United States.

Conflicting accounts said he had either been abducted or had defected at a time when interna-

tional tensions over Iran’s nuclear program were at their peak.

In a surprise move, Amiri then returned to Tehran in July 2010, saying he had been kidnapped at gunpoint by two Farsi-speaking CIA agents in the Saudi city of Medina.

At first he was greeted as a hero, telling reporters as he stepped off the plane at Tehran airport that he had resisted pressure from his US captors to pretend he was a defector.

He denied he was a nuclear scientist and said US officials wanted him to tell the media he had “defected on his own and was car-

rying important documents and a laptop which contained classified secrets of Iran’s military nuclear program.”

“But with God’s will, I resisted,” Amiri said as he was welcomed home by his tearful wife and young son.

However, it was soon clear that Iranian authorities had not accepted this version of events and Amiri dropped out of public view.

His arrest was never officially reported.

Iran’s judicial spokesman said Sunday that its intelligence services had “outsmarted” the US. “American intelligence servic-

es thought Iran has no knowledge of his transfer to Saudi Arabia and what he was doing but we knew all of it and were monitoring,” Ejeie told reporters.

“This person, having access to confidential and highly confidential information of the regime, had established a connection to our number one enemy, America, and had provided the enemy with Iran’s confidential and vital information,” he added.

The US State Department declined to comment on the case when asked on Sunday.

Tehran and Washington have had no diplomatic ties since 1980,

when students stormed the US embassy following the previous year’s Islamic revolution.

“Shahram Amiri was tried in accordance with law and in the presence of his lawyer. He appealed his death sentence based on judicial process. The Supreme Court... confirmed it after meticulous reviews,” Ejeie said.

“We like all convicts to repent and reform. Not only did he not repent and compensate for his past, but he tried to send out false information from inside the prison, and finally he was punished,” he added. AFP

SEOUL—A group of South Korean opposition lawmakers defied President Park Geun-Hye and left for China on Monday to discuss the deployment of a US anti-missile system that has opened a damaging rift between Seoul and Beijing.

Park had urged the MPs to scrap their trip, arguing that it would boost China’s opposition to the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system and deepen divisions in South Korea over the issue.

Seoul’s decision to host a THAAD battery, to counter a growing threat from North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, has been condemned by China as a threat to its own security interests and to regional stability.

The ongoing row is threatening to undo the substantial effort President Park has put into strengthening ties with China, which is not only South Korea’s largest trade partner but also the key player in curbing North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.

Kim Young-Ho, one of the six lawmakers from the main opposition Minjoo Party traveling to Beijing, said their sole motivation was to calm the situation.

“We are visiting with the hope of offering at least a little warmth to the icy Seoul-Beijing ties,” Kim was quoted as saying by the Yonhap news agency before leaving Seoul. AFP

349 Taiwan drivers fined for playing Pokemon Go TAIPEI—Nearly 350 drivers in Taiwan were slapped with fines for playing on their phones after Pokemon Go launched on the island, which has already resulted in broken legs and museum bans.

The gaming app has sparked a global frenzy since its launch last month as users hunt for virtual cartoon characters overlaid on real-world locations using augmented reality technology.

A total of 349 fines were issued since the game launched in Taiwan on Saturday, with the majority of the offenders driving motorcycles, according to the National Police Agency.

While Pokemon Go has been praised for motivating people to become more active, authorities have warned players to remain alert.

“Catch the rare creatures, but don’t let accidents catch up with you!” Taiwan’s Premier Lin Chuan said on the cabinet’s Facebook page.

Drivers face fines of Tw$3,000 ($95) if caught using their phone, while motorcyclists have to hand over Tw$1,000.

A 20-year-old man in New Taipei City fractured his knee Saturday after falling off his motorbike while looking at his phone, according to Apple Daily.

At Taipei’s National Palace Museum officials banned visitors from playing Pokemon Go in its exhibition halls, which house prized artefacts from Chinese history spanning 7,000 years.

Elsewhere, authorities are seeking to set firm parameters for avid Pokemon Go players.

In Thailand, authorities warned its citizens against entering polling stations in their search for the cyber creatures as the nation voted on a new constitution Sunday.

Iran, which blocks many global news and social media sites, went so far as to ban the game entirely. AFP

DETECTOR. In this photograph, a Pakistani private security guard uses an explosives detector to search a vehicle at a mall entrance in Islamabad.

Pakistan’s government is building, selling and widely using a handheld explosives detector that senior officials have told AFP is ineffective and is based on a debunked technique scientists have dubbed “snake oil.” AFP

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

World

BLAST. Pakistani security officials and lawyers gather around the bodies of victims killed in a bomb explosion at a government hospital premises in Quetta on Monday. At least 40 people were killed and dozens more wounded after a blast at a major hospital in the Pakistani city of Quetta, the provincial health minister said, with fears the toll will rise. AFP

Storm Earl hits Mexico, 38 dead in landslides P

uebla—Landslides triggered by Tropical Storm Earl’s remnants have killed at least 38 people in Mexico, officials said Sunday, as a new storm threatened the country’s Pacific coast.

A total of 28 died in central Puebla state, at least 15 of them minors, as landslides buried several houses, the state government said.

The other 10 died in similar circumstances in the eastern state of Veracruz, its governor said.

In the town of Huauchinango,

Colombians reject peace deal with rebels BOGOTA—A poll published Sunday indicated that Colombians would reject a peace deal to end the country’s half-century civil war in a planned referendum.

Just 39 percent of respondents backed the peace deal and 50 percent opposed it, in the study by polling firm Ipsos published

by Colombian media.

The government wants citizens to endorse its accord with the country’s biggest rebel force, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

The two sides laid the groundwork for a full peace deal when they signed a definitive ceasefire in June.

They hope that deal will soon be followed by a full peace accord if such an agreement is approved in a referendum in the coming months.

But many Colombians are wary of a deal that would see FARC fighters reintegrated into society without being tried over the bloodshed.

Former president Alvaro Uribe has been campaigning fiercely for a “No” vote against the peace deal.

A similar poll last month had shown a majority in favor of a deal, but that trend appeared to have reversed on Sunday.

President Juan Manuel Santos and his government have been negotiating for an accord since 2012. AFP

the amount of rain that normally falls in a month came pouring down in just 24 hours, the Puebla government said.

A hill crumbled and came sweeping down on an adjacent village, killing 11 people including eight minors, it said.

Several highways in Puebla

were ripped up, two bridges collapsed and power was knocked out in several towns.

Gov. Rafael Moreno Valle pledged to rebuild damaged structures and posted on Twitter photos of himself walking in mud and residents helping in clean up efforts.

Some 200 people were left homeless in Puebla by the torrential rains, while in Veracruz rivers swelled with rainwater and dozens of families were evacuated.

Earl swept in from the Caribbean at hurricane strength

Wednesday, striking just south of Belize’s capital. It hit Mexico as a storm on Thursday and eventually weakened to a tropical depression.

On Sunday, however, it was approaching Tropical Storm Javier that was sparking new warnings.

It was expected to bring heavy rains and high winds to southwestern Mexico in the coming days, US weather forecasters said.

The Miami-based National Hurricane Center said Javier was about 250 miles (405 km) southwest of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

“On the forecast track, the cent-

er of the tropical cyclone should pass near or over the southwest coast of Mexico later today, and approach the southern portion of the Baja California peninsula on Monday,” the center said.

The storm was packing maximum sustained winds of 50 miles per hour (85 kilometers per hour) with higher gusts and was expected to dump four to six inches of rain in western Mexico, it said.

Another tropical storm, Ivette, also was swirling in the eastern Pacific, but it was far from land and expected to weaken later in the day, according to the NHC. AFP

Storms kill 21 in Macedonia SKOPJE—Fierce storms packing strong winds and torrential rains overnight killed at least 21 people in Macedonia’s capital of Skopje, the health minister said Sunday.

The freak weather included winds blowing at more than 70 kilometers (43 miles) an hour and resulted in flash floods and landslides, with cars swept away by the violent torrents.

Meteorological officials said the average rainfall for the whole of August fell on Skopje in the space of just two hours.

“Twenty-one people died in the areas of Singelic, Stajkovci, Smilkovci and on the ring road,” the interior ministry said in a statement, referring to villages on the city’s outskirts.

At least 56 people were injured in the storms, while a hospital source told AFP that an eight-year-old girl was among the dead.

“This is a disaster, we have never experienced such a thing,” said Skopje’s Mayor Koce Trajanovski, adding later that a “water bomb” had struck the city.

Some of the victims died in their cars as they were rapidly engulfed in mud and water while others were unable to flee their homes in time to reach safety.

A truck driver who managed to escape from his vehicle said he was unable to help a couple with a baby in a car that was washed away before his eyes.

“The water was so fast... I do not know what happened to them,” he told Kanal 5 television channel.

Local residents with bags of belongings waded knee-deep through the floods on Sunday, as damaged and overturned cars and other debris lay strewn in the mud.

An emergency was declared in Skopje and certain parts of the northwestern city of Tetovo, where heavy storms caused damage to property but no casualties.

Rain began falling at 5:30 pm (1530 GMT) on Saturday and stopped only around 9:30 on Sunday morning, with the peak of the storm in the middle of the night, around 3:30 am.

Reports said the water level reached as high as 1.5 meters (five feet) in some of the affected areas, which were being combed

by Macedonia’s police and army for survivors and other victims.

“Everything was a mess. Televisions, the fridge, the sofa, everything was floating... it was a nightmare,” said Baze Spriovski, a 43-year-old in Singelic, who remained without electricity. AFP

Islamic State claims Belgium machete attack BRUSSELS—A machete-wielding man who wounded two Belgian policewomen was a 33-year-old Algerian who was living illegally in the country, officials said Sunday as the Islamic State group, behind a string of deadly attacks in Europe, claimed the assault.

The IS-linked Amaq Agency said one of the group’s “soldiers” carried out the attack “in response to calls to target citizens” of countries which have joined a US-led coalition bombing the jihadists in Syria and Iraq.

The assailant died on Saturday after being shot by a third policewoman.

Belgian prosecutors said on

Sunday that the man, whose initials were given as K.B. “had a criminal record but was not known for terrorism.”

He had been living in Belgium since 2012, they said.

The junior minister for migration, Theo Francken, said K.B. had been living illegally in Belgium and had “twice been ordered to leave the country.”

Francken—a Flemish nationalist in Belgium’s fragile coalition government—said he would float proposals for accelerating “the forced return of illegal residents.”

Ahead of the IS claim, Prime Minister Charles Michel told reporters that an investigation was

underway “for attempted terrorist murder”.

Michel, speaking after a meeting of Belgium’s security services, repeated investigators’ earlier findings that the attacker had shouted “Allahu Akbar” (God is greatest) during the assault.

The bloody incident took place outside a police station in Charleroi, 60 kilometers (40 miles) south of Brussels, where the officers were on guard.

Police spokesman David Quinaux told broadcaster RTL-TVI the assailant had “taken a machete out of a sports bag he was carrying and dealt very violent blows to the faces of the two policewomen.”

Local police said the two injured policewomen were out of danger, though both were placed in an induced coma.

“They were seriously injured in the face and neck,” the federal prosecutor’s office said.

In a statement, prosecutors said two searches had been made in the neighborhood where the attack happened.

Belgium has been on high alert since suicide bombers struck Brussels airport and a metro station near the European Union headquarters on March 22, killing 32 people.

Those attacks were claimed by IS, which controls large areas of

territory in Iraq and Syria and has claimed numerous terror strikes in Europe over the last year.

Belgium’s unit for terror threat analysis coordination said it would keep the alert level unchanged at level three on a scale of four, meaning an attack is viewed as “possible and likely.”

With regard to attacks specifically on police the unit maintained a level two threat requiring “particular vigilance.”

Michel praised “the exceptional courage of the policewomen who suffered this serious attack” and “did what they had to and doubtless thereby prevented an even greater tragedy.” AFP

Argentines demand more jobs, less poverty BUENOS AIRES—Responding to a call by Pope Francis, thousands of Argentines marched from church through the streets on Sunday in a mass protest demanding more jobs and less poverty.

Catholic worshippers marked the feast of Cajetan, patron saint of the unemployed, praying to him at the church that bears his name in Buenos Aires.

Thousands joined a street procession from the church in the west of the city to central Plaza de Mayo square in front of the presidential palace.

They marched under the slogan “bread and work” to the din of drums and yells of “More jobs!”

It was the latest in a series of protests against job cuts and

utility rate hikes this year under the government of conservative President Mauricio Macri.

Labor unions say 200,000 jobs have been cut in various sectors since Macri took office in December. His government says 52,000 private sector jobs and 11,000 public posts were cut between January and May. At a mass in the church, the archbishop of Buenos Aires, Mario Poli, read out a letter from the Argentine-born Pope Francis who expressed concern over “high levels of unemployment” in his homeland.

A recent study by Catholic University estimated that 1.4 million people fell in poverty in Argentina in the first quarter of this year. AFP

EAST AND WEST. From left to right: Indian Bollywood actors Sohail Khan, Salman Khan, Arbaaz Khan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Jas Arora pose with British actress Amy Jackson(C) during the trailer launch of their home production Hindi film ‘Freaky Ali’ in Mumbai late Sunday. AFP

Life

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

ARTS, CULTURE, TECH & MEDIA

D1

Despite being unsubsidized, the Manila Symphony Orchestra has a regular concert season. On Aug. 13, the ensemble will perform with guest conductor Darrell Ang at Black Box Circuit Center in Makati

WITH DWINDLING AUDIENCES AND CORPORATE SUPPORT

Can classical music survive? of Sir Simon Rattle also in Germany, the Lamp Lighter in Puccini’s Manon Lescaut at the Baden-Baden Festspielhaus accompanied by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO) under Maestro Rattle.

The only Filipino tenor with regular engagements in Europe, Espiritu told Manila Standard he can actually live on his regular bookings. “Each year, it is imperative that I get as many singing contracts per year. Or else, I cannot earn enough. As always it is not enough. Every year it depends on how lucky you get with offers. So far I have been blessed.”

But making it abroad is not always about money. He cites the golden opportunities to work with world-class musicians like Maestro Simon Rattle who conducted him when he sang Edmundo in Puccini’s Manon Lescaut in Baden Baden in Germany.

By Pablo A. Tariman

P

HILIPPINE television is awash with amateur talent search and the winners are often young and promising singers imitating an array of foreign pop idols.

When classically trained singers find themselves in such televised competition, some members of the jury appear like they are totally stranger to the classical sound. When the same singer joins a talent search overseas, the judges as well as the audience instantly adore him.

Indeed, that shows how poorly appreciated classical musicians are in this country.

Once upon a time, Manila was called “The Milan of the Orient” because of its close affinity with classical music and the quality of artists it has produced as early as the 1920s.

Three Filipino divas – Isang Tapales, Jovita Fuentes, and Mercedes Matias Santiago – made international debuts in Italy’s opera houses in the late ‘20s and made a modest career until the late ‘30s.

Filipino bass baritone Jose Mossesgeld Santiago became the first Filipino to sing at La Scala di Milan in 1928 (as Sparafucile in Rigoletto) followed by Filipino tenor Arthur Espiritu in 2007 (as Ferrando in Cossi fan tutte).

In the ‘70s, Evelyn Mandac was the first Filipino soprano to make her debut at New York’s Metropolitan Opera while tenors Otoniel Gonzaga and Noel Velasco made it to New York City Opera and other major houses.

Clasical guitarist Aemilio Cecilio Enginco

In 1980, pianist Cecile Licad became the first Filipino and the first Asian to receive the Leventritt Gold Medal in New York, one of the last distinguished pianists to receive such coveted prize after Van Cliburn and Gary Graffman.

Meanwhile, another Filipino singer—tenor Rodell Rosel— made it to the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 2009 in Richard Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier opposite to no less than the revered American diva Renée Fleming and Susan Graham and under the direction of the eminent conductor Edo de Waart.

Trying to survive

Dwindling audience, lack of corporate sponsors

But even with this glorious past, truth is, in present-day setting, dwindling audiences hound classical musicians.

Concert organizers are having a hard time luring corporate sponsors. It is a total contrast to the steady patronage given to pop music.

To illustrate, the country has four active orchestras – the Ph ilippi ne Ph i l h a rm o n i c Orchestra (PPO) under new music di-

Tenor Arthur Espiritu and pianist Najib Ismail are all set for the Schubert song cycle on August 26 at the Ayala Museum

rector Yoshikazu Fukumura, the Manila Symphony Orchestra (MSO) under Arturo Molina and Jeffrey Solares, the ABS-CBN Philharmonic under Gerard Salonga and the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) under Rodel Colmenar.

MPO has long stopped doing season concerts because of the huge expenses involved and poor audience patronage. It kept itself busy by doing corporate events and assisting in Broadway musicals.

ABS-CBN Philhar monic has stopped doing regular season for classical music simply because the poor audience attendance doesn’t make the undertaking financially viable. Thus it makes up for lost revenues by doing a concert of popular film music and works of popular OPM composers.

The only self-financed orchestra with a sustained season is the MSO. The only state-subsidized orchestra, the PPO, has sustained its regular seasons. But more often than not, the audiences are hard to find except when a star soloist with the stature of Cecile Licad is around.

But even with state subsidy, opera productions in the leading temple of the arts are often weighed down by poor theater attendance.

On the other hand, brave souls without corporate support often mount opera production in its less expensive production – the concert versions— and the audiences love it because the singers deliver and the endeavor becomes worthy of a standing ova-

tion – even with deficits hounding the producer. For even with a full house, a concert producer can lose his shirt without the sponsorship, which is hard to get unless the producer is a business partner of several corporate entities.

Strangers to classical music

Meanwhile in the provinces, classical musicians are still total strangers to the music public.

Through private initiative, some provinces, like Catanduanes, get to hear classically trained soloists through the yearly summer music festival. But like most provinces in the country, it has yet to hear a live symphony orchestra.

The National Music Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA) yields yearly prizewinners but more often than not, they don’t get concert engagements enough to sustain them.

As in the case of most musicians, they teach, they do tutorials, they conduct master classes, they accept what they call “gigs” in corporate events which pay high than the regular concert engagements. Thus the only viable move is to go abroad for better pay.

Such is the case of tenor Arthur Espiritu who will be heard at the Ayala Museum on Aug. 26 with pianist Najib Ismail.

Espiritu has sung Ernesto in a wellreceived production of Donizetti’s Don Pasquale at the Oper Leipzig, the third oldest opera house in Germany. Other roles are Edmondo in Puccini’s Manon Lescaut in Baden Baden under the baton

‘Music is not just about earning money. It is also about investing in the young talents and helping them find a career in classical music’ – Arthur Espiritu, tenor

But more than making money, Espiritu’s concerns focus on the new generation of singers, which he helps by finding time for master classes. “Music is not just about earning money. It is also about investing in the young talents and helping them find a career in classical music.”

Classical guitarist Aemilio Cecilio Enginco who is prizewinner of the Jakarta and Hong Kong International Guitar Competitions said what sustains him as a musician is the inspiration he derives from people who believe in his talent. “They are the people who tell me that there is something deeper in arts and music than everyone can see on the surface. That they believe in me is so far enough to love my craft for what it is. But being a classical musician is really tough. We live in a generation wherein we have to strive hard to show them that this kind of music is deeply substantial although and we have to try doubly hard to make a living out of it.

Often, we do free performances just to educate the public. Hence, I would say, more audience patronage will help us survive. At this stage of my career, I am more interested in honing my craft and connecting with my audience than making money.”

Indeed, the classical musicians will probably survive by the skin of their teeth, so to speak.

It is up to audiences and cultural entities to reciprocate that passion – at least with their presence in the concert hall.

As Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel always pointed out, “It is not that people don’t like classical music.

It’s that they don’t have a chance to understand and experience it.”

(Classical guitarist Aemilio Cecilio Enginco promotes the Manila Guitar Quartet performing at the Ayala Museum on Aug. 11, 6:30 p.m. He performs in a separate guitar concert with Aaron Aguila on Aug. 23, at the PWU Recital Hall. Tenor Arthur Espiritu with pianist Najib Ismail interprets a Schubert song cycle on Aug. 26, 7 p.m. at the Ayala Museum. For tickets, contact TicketWorld at (02) 891-9999.)

Life

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TECH

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Excellent sound at a price

MAGINE sitting inside a theater with your favorite musical acts or movies playing just for you. Everything is pitch-perfect and the sound quality is crisp, so every note and nuance can be felt and heard in high resolution.

That is the exhilarating feeling you get when you plug into a KEF audio device.

“Music is a very personal experience. We have customers who want to have their favorites playing to get them up in the morning and by their side as they go to sleep at night. That is why we have brought the KEF speakers into the country. We want to offer a fuller enjoyment of sound with KEF. We want to touch the hearts of Filipino people through good sound quality of their favorite music,” explains Charlene Cobankiat Tiu, managing director of Cobys Gear and Gadget Concept Store.

Founded in 1961 by Raymond Cooke, KEF is a UK-originated brand that produces high performance sound of audio accessories that are designed to offer the best experience in Hi-Fi quality. The obsessive drive

to produce the best sound reproduction possible is what sets KEF apart.

It’s why it was founded over 50 years ago and are likewise engineered by audio and aesthetics experts to fit into today’s listening lifestyle.

Party anywhere

KEF developed its multi media line and one of the most popular products is the KEF Muo, a sleek portable wireless speaker that offers unmatched sound quality that transcends the acoustic limitations of more conventional products which sacrifice bass extension and high-frequency dispersion for volume capacity. This compromise leads to poor listening quality as it makes lower frequencies sound thin and vague, leaving a tinny directional treble response.

Coby’s Gear and Gadget Managing Director Charlene Conbankiat Tiu

KEF X300A digital hi-fe speaker system in black and white

This is addressed by the patented UniQ Point technology, resulting in a fullbodied and stunningly clear sound.

The size and shape are perfect for music-lovers on the go, for listening to relaxing tunes at the beach or turning a barbecue at the patio into an exuberant dance party. This is made possible with the device’s three versatile configurations for mono, stereo and dual-connect party mode for surround sound in larger spaces. The dual-connect mode allows listeners the full benefit of the music you are playing as it replicates the full-range response in each speaker. The state-of-the-art Uni-Q driver combines the KEF standards of sound reproduction with the convenience of streaming full bandwidth music wirelessly via its aptX Bluetooth technology. To fit modern design aesthetics, the speakers come in five cool colors for a fashionable vibe: blue, gold, gunmetal, orange and silver.

Leading industrial designer Ross Lovegrove was involved in designing the Muo, to develop robust molded internal enclosure to house the innovative speakers and its high-performance digital-to-analogue converter and other internal components. Lovegrove was likewise involved in developing another high-performance KEF product, the iconic Muon.

Compact surround sound

The award-winning KEF EGG Wireless Digital Music System is another impressive innovation in sound. It functions as a complete “plug-and-play” system with a built-in amp and Digital-to-Analogue converter that lets you enjoy your music in the same high quality that it was recorded. The speakers offer versatility of source, as it can be used to stream music anywhere at home – from TV sound with the optical connection or as a desktop music system.

For those who are serious about sound, they can opt for the KEF X300A Wireless, which allows for the precision and emotional intensity of true hi-fi from your desktop computer, laptop, or mobile gadget with its Airplay or DLNA technology. Here, KEF uses its 50 years of experience in creating a magical musical experience to ensure accurate, distortion-free sound reproduction that minimizes speaker hum and electromagnetic interference even at extreme volumes.

Bring your beat to the street

To bring sound on the streets, KEF also offers a range of stylish In-ear and On-ear, and Over-ear Hi-Fi gear. Its earphones and headphones deliver a highquality experience designed to delight urban warriors seeking to bring their

The powerful MUO wireless speaker

bass and treble beats anywhere they go.

There are several options available at Coby’s Gear and Gadget to suit on-thego lifestyles and preferences.

KEF is exclusively distributed and is available at the Coby’s Gear and Gadget Concept Store. Charlene adds that those who have been able to visit the store and experience KEF speakers are able to appreciate the difference in audio quality versus conventional speakers. “With KEF, you get the high tunes and the low tunes that are evenly distributed. Every detail in the brand range is designed for your full enjoyment of music, starting with the m100 earphones all the way to the hi-fi speakers. A comprehensive range of products that answers the call for topquality audio reproduction, luxury design and functionality.” She invites audiophiles to visit the store to savor their favorite music through the KEF speakers.

Coby’s Gear and Gadget is located at Unit 217 Level 2, Main Wing, Shangri-La Plaza Edsa Mall. Find them online at their Facebook page, cobysgearandgadget.

Apple Watch bands for your collection THE Apple Watch is arguably the ultimate lifestyle accessory. It’s highly personalized as you can customize the watch face to fit your style, and you can dress it up or down with an assortment of bands to complement your outfit.

If you’re looking to shake up your #OOTDs, try switching Apple Watch bands.

It’s guaranteed to change your look and get you a lot more compliments. Following are some on-trend pieces to add to your collection.

Semi-transparent elastomer

When you’re in the mood for something chill or laidback but still like a little sparkle, opt for a flexible elastomer band with shiny flecks. It’s casual enough for everyday use, but makes it easy to add a little elegance to any look.

Bangle-style

For days when you can’t be bothered by locks and clasps, there are banglestyled bands that you can just slip on and off your wrist. Keep it fashionable by picking one in an interesting design like

a chain link and opt for a pop of color to take your outfit from drab to fab.

Leather

Leather is a good investment since the material itself lasts a long time. Leather makes any watch stylish enough to stand changes

in trends and it’s a timeless look that goes with almost all outfits. It is especially suited for formal settings, when you need to look polished or business-like. For your Apple Watch, you can go for the classic leather band, or spice it up with different textures, styles and colors.

Stainless steel links

The linked bracelet is another must-have in every collection. It’s easily adjustable by adding or removing links and the classic design exudes style and sophistication.

Day-to-night

Take your Apple Watch anywhere from brunch to board meeting to party in the club with this one-of-a-kind genuine crystal and leather Brilliance band. It is actress Chienna Filomeno’s current favorite as it matches her personality and completes her OOTDs. If you’re looking to make a fashion statement, this is enough to do the trick.

Wear it wherever the night takes you.

Case-Mate Apple Watch bands are available at Power Mac Center stores nationwide.

Premium accessories brand Case-Mate was born in 2006 out of the simple desire to craft accessories ingrained with individuality, purpose, quality, and style. It is for people who know who they are yet crave for something more, something extraordinary. Case-Mate Apple Watch bands made an appearance at the recently concluded 20th Philippine Fashion Week.

More information may be obtained from Power Mac Center’s 26 branches or at www.powermaccenter.com.

From leather to stainless steel, a variety of Apple Watch bands that suits different outfits and occasions are available at Case-Mate

ERRATUM In the caption of the second photo on Life (Manila Standard D1) last Saturday (Aug. 6. 2016), Maricris Nicasio was inadvertently identified as a showbiz columnist. . She is the entertainment editor of Hataw, a tabloid. We regret the oversight. – Editor

Filipinos can now go on their journey of becoming a Pokemon Master as the locationbased mobile game Pokemon Go is now available in the Philippines

Smart welcomes

Pokemon GO

ONE with the legions of Filipinos excited for the arrival of Pokemon GO in the country, leading mobile services provider Smart Communications has announced that it will give subscribers seven days of free data access to Pokemon GO upon the launch of the hit game in the Philippines. This offer is available on both Android and iOS. Smart and TNT subscribers who are using iPhones or Android smartphones can enjoy seven days free data access to Pokemon GO upon accessing the game and start playing without data charges for seven days upon the launch of the game in the country.

very excited to welcome the game in our own big way,” said Kathy C. Carag, Smart Mobile Business head.

“Smart subscribers nationwide can look forward to more special treats and promos that will allow them to make the most of their Pokemon GO experience.”

Drumming up the excitement among millions of Filipino fans, Smart joined the rally for #PHForPokemonGO on social media since the game was released in select markets on July 6. On Twitter alone, the anticipation and clamor for the game reached more than 14 million impressions on over the last couple of weeks for Smart and Pokemon Go.

A worldwide phenomenon

Leveled-up Pokemon GO experience

A location-based augmented reality mobile game, Pokemon GO lets players assume the role of a trainer who discovers and catches Pokemon or “pocket monsters” as if in real life using the GPS and camera of their smartphones.

Players level up their Pokemon and battle other trainers to gain Pokécoins that can be spent on in-game items.

Developed by Niantic Labs in partnership with Nintendo affiliate, The Pokemon Company, Pokemon GO has swept gamers since it was first launched in the USA, Australia and New Zealand on July 6. The game is now available in over 30 countries, including Japan, where the original Pokemon game and anime series originated.

Smart and TNT subscribers can easily level up their gameplay via convenient and secure Pokemon Go in-app purchases even without a credit card.

With Smart’s Google Direct Carrier Billing for Android users, subscribers can easily purchase Pokécoins, Pokemon Go’s currency mainly used for buying items that will help gamers catch Pokemons – directly charged to their prepaid load or postpaid account.

Smart Postpaid subscribers who are iPhone users can also conveniently buy Pokécoins, charged to their monthly billing, through Smart’s PayWith-Mobile service.

Catch the latest updates on Pokemon GO by following Smart’s official #PHforPokemonGO campaign accounts on Facebook (www.face“Smart is one with the whole nation book.com/SmartCommunications), in waiting for Pokemon GO to finally Snapchat (LiveSmartPH), Twitter and go live in the Philippines, and we are Instagram (@LiveSmart).

Showbiz

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HE Filipino short film Pipo, which centers on a boy’s dream of having his family picture taken despite the odds, continues to establish itself on the world stage as it was officially selected to compete at the IndieCrete International Film Festival from Aug. 19 to 21 at the Paradiso Theater in Crete, Greece.

Maliksi Morales stars as the boy who comes up with a lot of ideas, including making up rumors to convince an old photographer, played by Lou Veloso, to take a picture of his family at a bargain price. Chanel Latorre, Ramon Palencia, and Katherine Carel provide support as members of Pipo’s family.

Aside from showing problems caused by poverty and environmental concerns through the boy’s story, award-winning filmmaker Richard Legaspi says his film also pays tribute to manual film cameras and all the photographers who we often forget to thank for documenting precious moments in our lives.

Before vying for several awards in the Summer Edition of the film festival, including Best Film, Drama award, and others, Pipo also competed in the U.S., Colombia, India, Malta, Portugal, Taiwan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mexico, Germany, United Arab Emirates, and another Greek film festival in Athens.

The open-air film festival, organized in cooperation with the Municipality of Archanes-

Asterousia, the Vathypetro Association, and with the support of the Regional Authority of Crete, is the first of its kind to be held at the largest island in Greece. The competitive event aims to bring audiences in Crete closer to the best international productions and promote the art of filmmaking.

The organizing committee received 1,300 entries worldwide, according to Artistic Festival Manager Konstantina Palli, with 35 eventually being selected as finalists. Pipo will compete with other films from Greece, Spain, Denmark, Australia, Sweden, Russia, Germany, Armenia, China, Switzerland, Canada, Cyprus, France, Kosovo, Iran, Czech Republic, Ireland, Mexico and the United Kingdom under the categories Drama, Comedy, Films for Social Rights, Science Fiction, and Films Directed by Women.

Comprising this year’s jury are actress Themis Bazaka, Greek Film Center General Manager and Director Gregory Karantinakis, and director and actor Kostas Nikolopoulos.

Parallel events and workshops with American actor Igor Korosets, Karantinakis and

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016 isahred@gmail.com

Greece Filipino short film in

‘Pipo,’ a short film about a boy’s dream to have his family picture taken, is competing at the IndieCrete International Film Festival

Nikolopoulos will be held along with the film screenings.

Legaspi was a filmdirecting fellow at the Asian Film Academy in Busan, South Korea and a graduate

of Ricky Lee’s 14th Film Scriptwriting Workshop. His works are more focused upon raising consciousness and creating space for dialogue on communal issues, responsible

transformation of society and creative activation through contemporary art. He is a two-time Gawad CCP winner, a Palanca awardee for his screenplay Primera Bella, and a

UNESCO Laureate and resident artist of the Università delle Idee (Unidee) and CittadellarteFondazione Pistoletto and winner of Illy’s Art for Social Change Prize in Italy.

SM’s Little Stars 2016 LAST Sunday, 23 adorable and talented kids competed in the Grand Finals of SM Little Stars 2016 at the SM Mall of Asia Centerstage.

Now on its 10th year, SM Little Stars is a nationwide search for cute, bright and promising kids aged 4 to 7 in a talent competition. Through the years, SM Little Stars has also become an avenue for brighter things as past winners are continuously shining in the field acting and modelling in commercials, television shows and movies.

The Grand Prize winners (one boy and one girl) went home with over P6.5 million worth of great prizes.

Each winner had a Suzuki Ciaz brand new car; half a million worth of cash and shopping money; and a five-day and four-night trip to China for two including round-trip tickets, hotel accommodations and tours. They also received a four-year college scholarship grant from National University and a one year Talent Management Contract

with TV5. SM’s Little Stars winners also received P15000.00 worth of gift certificates from Toy Kingdom.

The First Runner Up received P50000.00 worth of cash and shopping money and a four-year college scholarship grant from National University; while the Second and Third Runners Up got P30000.00 and P20000.00 worth of cash and shopping money respectively, and tuition fee discounts from National University.

Runners up will also each get a fiveday and four-night trip to China for two, P6000.00 Toy Kingdom gift certificates, and also a one year Talent Management Contract with TV5.

Jasmine Curtis Smith hosted this year’s finals with a board of judges who also acted as mentors: movie and TV director Mac Alejandre (mentor for acting) and celebrity judges Bianca King (mentor for modeling), Tuesday Vargas (mentor for hosting) and Alwyn Uytingco (mentor for dancing). They chose the

winners based on the following criteria: 40 percent for Star Quality, 20 percent for Personality and 40 percent for Talent.

Here’s a look at the finalists.

In the metro area, SM City Marikina’s Shamir Jarred Parungao likes acting, rapping and breakdancing, and dreams to a be an actor someday; while SM City San Lazaro’s Camille Ronquillo and SM City Sta. Mesa’s Raymond Earl Curry enjoy showing their talents in dancing and modelling.

SM City Novaliches’ Jarra Arden Tan and SM Southmall’s Celine Loreal Bathan love gymnastics, and SM City BF Parañaque’s Ydian Dreique Bellosillo likes drawing; while SM Center Muntinlupa’s Miguel Gabriel Diokno enjoys playing basketball. SM City North EDSA has a talented duo: Timothy Mendoza who is into acting, singing, modelling and dancing; and Ria Marie Encinas who wants to become either an architect or a singer.

In Northern Luzon, SM City Tarlac’s

SM Little Star hopefuls: (from left) Lulu Silvester (Cagayan de Oro), Franco Latiff Hussain (Clark, Pampanga) and Lilyana Mallabo (Santa Rosa)

Luis Bernard Guzman, SM City Rosales’ Rhijah Krische Onia, and SM City Clark’s adorable pair Franco Latiff Hussain and Christal Grace Sanchez charm the audience with their dance moves. SM City Pampanga’s Marcus Rayden Cabais dreams to become a basketball player; while SM City Baliwag’s Raimien Luzmer Ramos wants to be a chef.

Going south, sweet girls SM Center Molino’s Sheena Kirtsten Bentoy and SM City Santa Rosa’s Lilyana Mallabo enjoy singing and dancing. SM City San Pablo’s Johan Jozef Yalong wants to be an engineer; while SM City Lipa’s Ezekiel

Joash Martinez dreams to become an actor.

SM Little Stars also drew a lot of star quality from the VisMin region. SM City Bacolod’s Brianna Nikola Ang who loves to answer puzzles, dreams to become a singer-songwriter; while SM City Iloilo’s Niño Paul Nathaniel Patrimonio who enjoys singing and dancing, wants to be a policeman.

SM City General Santos’ Jeretch Ramzes Arnol and SM City Cagayan de Oro’s Lulu Silvester who both enjoy dancing, joined SM Little Stars to showcase their talents.

SM Little Stars is one of the many exciting events of the SM Supermalls.

Miss World Philippines congratulates Sam Ajdani

Model Sam Ajdani (rightmost) pose with other Mr. World contestants during one of the pageant’s fast track events

EACH year, the Mr. World Competition becomes more and more competitive with the inclusion of the following Fast Track Events: Extreme Challenge, Sports and Fitness Challenge, Multimedia Award, Talent and Creativity Challenge, Fashion and Style Award.

Mr. World Philippines’ participation since 2012 have included Andrew Wolff, John Spainhour and most recently, Sam Ajdani.

In 2011, Andrew Wolff won First Runner-

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Tuesday, August 9, 2016

ACROSS 1 Bluster and bellow 5 One-time Shea team 9 Long-running beef 13 Burn soother 14 Noted soap vixen 16 Stomachturning 17 ESP, etc.

19 Complimentary 20 — Maria 21 Dolly the clone 22 Caesar’s false friend 24 Impressed, plus 25 Vane dir.

26 Dug 29 Sparkling adornments 33 Lattice 34 Stumble onto 35 Without ice 37 Dodge City’s loc.

38 Gross!

39 Sci-fi Doctor 40 Light bulb, in comics 42 Pub pints 43 Bushed (2 wds.)

45 Hospital worker 47 Stills & Nash partner 48 Throw in

49 Apple, for Apple 50 Sing the blues 53 Galleon cargo 54 Where hippos swim 57 Aria ace 58 Climate determiner (2 wds.)

61 Almost alike 62 Give a lift 63 — up (pay) 64 Pulley part 65 Clueless 66 Magna Carta signer DOWN 1 Enthralled 2 Half a fronton game 3 Ibsen woman 4 Herbal infusion 5 Sounded catty 6 Went wrong 7 Youngest Cratchit 8 Injury result 9 Almost grown?

10 Neutral color 11 Luau strings 12 Tint 15 Previously 18 More recent 23 Bonn connector 24 Uproar 26 Wine served

warm 27 Madrid art gallery 28 Mr. Doubleday 29 Risky 30 Calligraphy fluids 31 Whimpers 32 Bwana, in India 34 Parking lot sign 36 Theater trophy 38 Gridiron gain 41 Insistent 43 Thieves’ jargon 44 London lav 46 Tokyo, formerly

47 Victorian garment 49 Hay holders 50 Tour de France need 51 Like Lex Luthor 52 — and void 54 Stoic founder 55 Four-letter word 56 Portent 57 Pat on 59 Thai language 60 Gandhi foe

up and grabbed the award for Multimedia, a first for the Philippines.

Mr. World, the search for “the most desirable man in the world” was established in 1996 and falls under the Miss World Organization umbrella. In the past, the following countries have won this most-coveted title: Belgium, Venezuela, Uruguay, Brazil, Spain, Ireland, Colombia and Denmark.

Mr. India, Rohit Khandelwal became the first Asian to win the title this year.

It is the goal and hope of the Mr. World

Philippines Organization that the title Mr. World, would one day, be won by the Philippines in the same hopeful manner that Megan Young won the title of Miss World 2013 after a 63-year wait for the country.

Meanwhile, warm congratulations are extended to Mr. World Philippines, Sam Ajdani for his recognized efforts in promoting the Philippines through his admirable participation in Mr. World 2016.

Eton B. Concepcion

Showbiz

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com

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Alden Richard’s book is an intimate look into his life as an actor before becoming the country’s “Pambansang Bae”

Alden Richards gets personal in his own book AS ONE-HALF of the wildly popular showbiz love team AlDub with Maine Mendoza, Alden Richards has been conquering television screens, magazine covers, and billboards all over the country since the tandem’s meteoric rise to fame in July 2015. A year after the birth of their phenomenal love pairing, fans will finally get an intimate look into the life of the ubiquitous heartthrob who has earned the title “Pambansang Bae.” Out now from Summit Books is Alden Richards: In My Own Words, a book that reveals everything

there is to know about the reluctant celebrity who was born Richard Faulkerson, Jr. Like AlDub’s first solo starrer Imagine You & Me, which hit theaters on July 13, Alden: In My Own Words is an anniversary gift to loyal fans who have been following AlDub since the romantic pairing first debuted in the July 16, 2015 episode of the Eat Bulaga! segment “Juan for All, All for Juan.”

Alden: In My Own Words recounts the path the 24-year old actor, singer, and TV host took before hitting showbiz gold with Aldub—a history that

Benjamin Alves stars in the indie ‘Dagsin’

includes male pageants and failed auditions. The book then delves deeper into Alden’s life as an ordinary guy by spilling revealing truths and endearing facts about the down-to-earth star. Alden, an old-fashioned romantic, also sets readers’ hearts aflutter by candidly letting his views on love and dating be known. True-blue fans can then test how well they know their beloved “bae” by taking on the ultimate Alden quiz.

Finally, a whole chapter devoted to Alden and Maine’s bond finds its way to Alden: In My Own Words. Through quotes

about each other, it traces the onscreen couple’s beginnings from the moment their palpable chemistry first captured Filipino viewers’ attention to the massive success and deep friendship they share today.

Alden: In My Own Words is out now in bookstores, newsstands, supermarkets, and convenience stores nationwide for only P250. For updates and more information, like Summit Books on Facebook via www.facebook.com/SummitBooks and follow on Twitter via @ SummitBooks and on Instagram via @summit.books.

GMA Artist Center stars in ‘indie’ movies

Aljur Abrenica as Hermano Puli

T

O CELEBRATE the Filipino talent in the arts, versatile stars of GMA Network – Aljur Abrenica, Barbie Forteza, Benjamin Alves, Janine Gutierrez, Louise Delos Reyes and Mikoy Morales – look forward to different projects that do not only hone their skills as performers, but also deepen their passion for culture.

Displaying his youth with radical confidence, Mikoy Morales wants to star in films that help the audience discover a part of themselves. “Films can affect people in the simplest ways we sometimes fail to imagine.

I want to be part of that kind of film, something to help you know who you are,” claims the Kapuso actor.

He acts on his passion as he stars in Cinemalaya’s Indie Nation, 4 Days, that speaks about the experiences of the youth, which millennials can easily relate to.

Aljur Abrenica and Louise delos Reyes who star in the 12th Cinemalaya Film Festival closing film Hermano Puli, believe that this is an opportunity to learn more about the Filipino identity. Abrenica claims playing as Hermano Puli helped him realized his core as an actor. “The intensity of his life brought different

Kapuso darling Barbie Forteza stars alongside Nora Aunor in Cinemalaya film, ‘Tuos’

emotions that helped me understand my role. I’m proud to be a part of a very meaningful project.” For Delos Reyes, the opportunity to be part of this historical film is an honor. “It is overwhelming to play a part in retelling history. I am very inspired to relate Hermano Puli’s story to the new generation.”

Meanwhile, Benjamin Alves and Janine Gutierrez believe that working

in a film that speaks to the Filipino soul is fulfilling. “It’s always a pleasure to act, but as an artist, I feel proud telling a story that affects all aspects of human nature,” says Alves. For his leading lady in the film Dagsin, Philippine Fashion muse Janine continues to seek challenging roles. “I have so much respect for our filmmakers who translate their passion into art that

also benefits our culture as Filipinos.”

Both are excited for everyone to see the feature film Dagsin in the annual Cinemalaya film festival.

Finally, Best Supporting Actress for the 10th Cinemalaya Film Festival Barbie Forteza continues to strengthen her forte in acting. Playing alongside the one and only Superstar Nora Aunor, Barbie is more motivated than ever to

put her best foot forward in the feature film Tuos.

“As Filipinos, I think we have the biggest heart for our family and we always put them first. I hope I was able to show that in this film,” says the Kapuso actress.

Catch their films in the 12th Cinemalaya Film Festival, which will run until Aug. 14 in CCP Theaters and Ayala Cinemas.

Regine Velasquez-Alcasid’s anniversary surprise

By Nickie Wang

Songbird Regine Velasquez-Alcasid shares her favorite recipes in a new cookbook titled ‘Bongga Sa Kusina’

THIRTY years ago, an emerging singer dreamed of recording her own songs. As a virtually unknown name on the local music scene, all she just wanted was to be called a songbird and to perform before a large crowd. Hearing people cheer for her after every performance was her ultimate reward.

Today, her name is synonymous to success, being one of the bestselling recording artists in the local music industry. With multiplatinum records, sold out concerts, blockbuster films and top-rating TV shows and countless awards and recognition, Regine Velasquez has become a much bigger star than what she initially wished to be.

“When I was starting in the business, all I wanted was just to sing. I never thought a lot of opportunities would come my way.

I was just so in love with music,”

she told Manila Standard in an interview after her book signing held a few weeks ago in Eastwood Mall.

Known for her powerful vocals and her ability to hit high notes most singers think impossible to reach, Regine did not fail to impress her fans and the people who graced the event. The book signing turned into a mini concert with the Songbird belting out a few classics.

“Singing is practically part of my life like we are one. And singing for them [the fan] whenever I can is my way of saying ‘thank you’ for their unparalleled support,” she said.

We have witnessed how the chanteuse gives her fans the kind of attention they deserve. During the launching of the cookbook, which collects all the unique recipes featured in her cooking show Sarap Diva, she tirelessly greeted everyone who queued just to have a glimpse of the music

superstar. Almost 300 of them patiently waited for their turn to meet the diva and have their books autographed.

The cookbook titled Bongga sa Kusina was conceived two years ago but it only got finalized this year in time for Regine’s 30th anniversary in the business.

“Thirty years, it’s really hard to recall how I was and what my aspirations were. But I can easily remember the burning passion in me to sing and perform. And the people I have worked with…they are instrumental to what I am and what I have accomplished right now,” the singer related.

To celebrate her three successful decades in the business, Regine is coming up with an album which she plans to call R3K, which seems a spin off to her R2K album that is considered as one the best-selling records in history with almost halfa-million copies sold. The album,

she said, is a compilation of songs she recorded in the past that also defined her music career.

“I wanted to call it R3.0 but I’m having some trouble adding a hashtag to it because Instagram doesn’t read the 0 anymore. That’s why I’m calling it R3K for easy reference,” Regine beamed.

The preparation she’s doing for the album, the cookbook she has just launched in collaboration with Summit Books, and a musical show she’s going to have on GMA Network are just some of the few events leading to a grand celebration the diva will stage before the year ends. And as a celebrated singer, people expect nothing but a grand concert to culminate her 30th year anniversary.

“That’s the main highlight of my 30th anniversary celebration. I’m returning to the concert stage and I hope people will celebrate with me,” Regine ended.